Harry Potter:Arms of the Angel and Time After Time
by MacKenzieBlueEyes
Summary: Annie and Harry return to Hogwarts for their third year facing the escape of Sirius Black and the trouble that comes with it. "Listen, if I thought Sirius Black was a murderer, he would've killed you in your sleep years ago." Blaise said to Annie.
1. Where does the good go

**Disclaimer: As far as I know, I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters, seeing as my name is not JK Rowling. I do however own the idea of Havenry and the character Annie.**

_Author's Note: Okay, here we go. The first revision of this story. As you can see, most is the same, I know it's a short chapter but I thought it was a good place to start. As you can see Gwen's name is Annie, and her parents are not Harry's, I wish to do something else with those characters other than a brother/sister relationship. Leave thoughts, I personally like it better this way. Oh and I'm going to add music, so if you want to listen to according music while reading, I'll make sure everything can be found on Youtube. The chapters will be named after the songs I use... I will also start each chapter with a fitting quote._

'_**Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.**_'

Harry Potter: Arms of the Angel (Revised)

Chapter One: Where does the good go...?

_Where do you go with your broken heart in tow?  
What do you do with the left over you?  
And how do you know, when to let go?  
Where does the good go? Where does the good go?_

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger stepped of the Hogwarts Express. Morbid expressions on their face realizing they had left behind the one thing in the world that seemed innocent, bright, even happy. They would never return to Hogwarts, they would never feel the same ever again. Because the minute they set foot off that train, they would become adults.

No longer could they be children who hid behind the reassurance of the one's who loved them, the world was not safe, especially for the trio of friends.Harry stared blankly around platform 9 and 3/4 looking around hoping to find someone. The sunlight gleaming in his emerald eyes and his jet black hair causing it to shine ever so brightly. And then he gazed upon what he was looking, more like hoping for.

Professor R.J. Lupin had seen Harry through the massive crowd of parents and children, with emotions that Harry felt were happiness and fear grazing their faces. It was a different time now, alot darker than it had seemed meer days ago...

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione glumly strutted towards Lupin, they noticed someone different. There was the familiar crowd of Tonks, Mad-Eye, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley... but there was someone Harry had never met.

She looked all of sixteen, petite frame, almost too skinny. Dark ashy brown hair that curled in perfect soft ringletsShe had very pale yet pretty milky white skin, and the most brilliant blue eyes he had ever seen... he also saw a group of freckles grace the bridge of her very pretty face. He wondered why she was there, and had the underlying feeling that he had met her before

"Harry how are you?" Lupin asked gravely... although Harry could tell that was not his desire to convey that feeling...

"Fine... I'm fine..." Harry said, his voice drifting. He'd rather be anywhere but here right now. You could tell Ron and Hermione were also wondering who the new addition to the group was.

"Oh well right... Hermione Granger this is my goddaughter Annie... Ron Weasley.. Annie..." She shook their hands..."Harry Potter.. Annie.." She was the only person Harry met who didn't stare at his scar upon meeting him. She didn't seem phased by him at all, actually. She just reached out and shook his hand. And Harry thought there could be nothing in the world as beautiful as her.

_Look me in the eye and tell me you don't find me attractive  
Look me in the heart and tell me you won't go_

"Nice to meet you..." She spoke, in an american accent. It wasn't harsh like most, yet raspy and feminine at the same time...(A/N: think Ellen Pompeo voice... a little higher)

Harry finally let go of her hand, Ron leaned close and whispered so only himself and Harry could hear...

"You didn't need to stare you know..."

"Wasn't she..." Harry stuttered, still stairing at Annie, who was in emersed in a conversation with Hermione.

"Pretty, yeah..."

"Well right... shall we" said Lupin referring to the Dursleys standing as far away as possible from the rest of the families on the platform.. as though they were afraid they'd catch a disease.

Lupin, Mad Eye, Tonks, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked towards the Dursleys while Harry looked over his shoulder looking at Annie trying to figure out why Harry felt like he knew her. Lupin obviously knew what Harry was thinking about...

"In due time Harry, In due time"

* * *

The Dursleys grudgingly allowed Ron and Hermione to accompany Harry to their house... a decision they were quickly regretting. Ron fixated on anything "Muggle" the microwave, the television, especially the mail service. While Hermione wondered why Lupin had never told them he had a goddaughter. 

Outside the Burrow, After returning from the Dursleys.

"Lupin has a goddaughter? that we didn't know about..." Hermione questioned. "It all seems a bit odd to me."

"She was at the train station with the rest of the Order, what'sthat about..." Ron wondered...

"Did she look like someone we know... I feel like I've seen her before." Harry questioned, he had been wondering this for a few days now...

"Well actually... I thought she looked quite a bit like Sirius..." Ron said cautiously... he didn't want to upset Harry who was still grieving over the loss of his godfather.

"That's not... that's not possible is it?" Harry quivered...

"It's not probible Harry," Hermione said reassuringly..."But it's certainly not impossible... I mean there was alot we didn't know about..." She drifted off realizing this was a touchy subject.

"I guess we'll find out with time..." Harry concluded, he didn't feel good about possibly being lied to by Lupin...

"Come on lets get inside, it looks like Ron's Mum is waiting for us in the kitchen..." And they sauntered in, tired from their trip.

* * *

The Weasley kitchen glowed with the warmth and comfort as it always did, Harry noticed a sense of tension in the room, actually it was quite a bit of tension. Mrs. Weasley, Mr Weasley, Ginny, Fred, George, Lupin and Annie were all gathered at the table when Ron, Hermione,and Harry walked through the door. They shook everyone's hands and gave hugs, and then Harry reached Annie. 

"I'm sorry, I don't remember your last name..."

"Oh Black, Annie Black..." Annie said completely unaware of how this bit of information would impact Harry. And then there was a slam of the kitchen door, as Harry stormed, lividly out.

"Did I say something?" Annie said feeling guilty as everyone stared at her...

* * *

Harry had avoided everyone the night he arrived. He felt betrayed, he felt lied to, but most of all, he was in shock. He came down late to breakfast while Lupin was still in the kitchen... 

Seeing Lupin, Harry pivoted on his foot and began to leave the room "Harry! I need to at least talk to you..." Lupin got up and walked towards Harry... "Will you let me, at least explain?" Harry, grudgingly sulked to the table and gave Remus a look that clearly stated...'Well out with it.'

And Remus started the saga that was Annie's life... She was born, Remus explained, just before Sirius was wrongfully accused of tiping Voldemort off about James and Lily's whereabouts. Her mother, died in childbirth, leaving Annie without parents, seeing as Sirius was in Azkaban. Remus, took her in and raised her as his own.

Yet hiding her from the magical world, figuring she needed to be protected. But the truth was, Annie had no need for protection, she could acutally protect herself... She was a **Haven**...(a/n: for those who didn't read the first draft of this fic, I will put a definition at the bottom of the page.)

"I really didn't want to lie to you Harry, but I had to think of Annie aswell. But now that her true powers have shown, she obvioulsy doesn't need my protection anymore... She's, well she's alot like yourself actually. Kind, bright, she's suffered alot of loss like you..."So what you're telling me is that she's essentially invicible..."

"Yes, more or less... you know she could help you..."

"How..." Harry asked extremely skeptical...

"Well, as you may or may not know... Haven's have immense powers, that are solely used to protect others... She could guarentee your safety if you ever come across Voldemort... as we know you eventually will... If you truly want her help, all you have to do is ask." Lupin added slowly so Harry could drink it all in... "How are you taking this..."

"Well besides the fact that I was lied to, just peachy..." Harry muttered under his breath... "I'm sorry that was a bit strong... It's just, it's hard to believe I have a connection to Sirius... but it's nice.

Then Annie walked into the kitchen... and saw Harry

_Look me in the eye and tell me you don't find me attractive  
Look me in the heart and tell me you won't go  
Look me in the eye and promise no love's like our love  
Look me in the heart and un break broken, it won't happen  
Where does the good go?_  
"Oh right I'll just..." She turned to leave but was quickly hugged by a teary eyed Harry, not knowing what to do she just stood there and looked at Remus awkwardely(sp?). "Er... Okay..." and she patted him on the back, truly not in the know... and Remus just silently laughed to himself... ahh how things had changed with just a simple conversation.

* * *

(I explained in my other version of this fic, but it only really needs to be repeated for those who are new) Haven:A Haven, literally means the same as the word 'Haven,' any place of safety, shelter, or refuge. A Haven is almost a safe harbor for witches and wizards. Those blessed the powers of a Haven... are invincible due to the abililty of casting a shield or safe harbor. They don't feel pain within this shield, and are protected from spells/charms. Havens have the ability to heal much quicker than the meer mortal and even faster than regular witches and wizards. But the most important and impressive power of a Haven is that when they are threatned.. or being physically harmed by a spell or charm, a ring like barrier surrounds their body casting a shield protecting them from any harm. The really amazing Haven's can protect others.. but it's only those who work diligently that have that ability.They also have a higher apititude for learning purposes. They are quite intelligent but are also kind an loving, due to their duties of protecting and saving the lives of others. Haven's are not immortal though... they can die but most of natural causes and are Haven's always of the female gender. The wizarding world sees a Haven about every five centuries. (This is just something I made up...) 

Alright sorry for all the A/N's but I needed to explain stuff, so enjoy!


	2. The Story

**Disclaimer: Even if I legally changed my name to JK Rowling I still would not own Harry Potter. I do however own the idea of Havenry and the character Annie. I also do not own Gilmore Girls quotes or the songs used.**

**Author's Note: Okay, I officially love this chapt. I think it's one of my best fic chapts so far... Songs used are : Black Roses Red and The Story. Also just go with the yelling sequence, it's meant to be funny not angry...I had a hard time picking between The Story by Brandi Carlile and Fix you by Coldplay, I picked the story. But if Coldplay suits you better just pretend it's Coldplay. Also in this chapt, not much happens, but it needed to be written. Thanks Guys!**

* * *

**_Yup, there's nothin like a wedding to screw up a family-Luke Danes, Gilmore Girls_**

Harry Potter: Arms of the Angel

Chapter 2: The Story (aka The Attack of the Vicious Pantyhose...)

_avo(annie voice over): Getting to know someone, it's harder than it sounds. Not only do you have to listen, but you have to see. Why is it that we hide our true selves from the world around us? Why do we put up that facade. Is it because we are afraid to be hurt... or judged by the world around us? Or is it that we are scared to face the quandry that is one's self. So it boils down to fear... The real question is why do we allow fear to control us?_

As Harry got to know her he concluded that Annie, was truly kind. Not only to Harry but to everyone she had met at the Burrow. Although if you asked her, being nice to Harry wasn't hard... Maybe it was just because Harry, was also a truly kind person... or maybe it was something more. Harry had told Hermione and Ron everything that Remus had spoke to him about Annie... they were just as shocked as he was.

It was the day of Bill and Fleur's wedding. All was a buzz at the Weasleys, considering there were more than 12 people staying there. Mrs. Weasley, couldn't find her corsage. Mr. Weasley was driving Mrs. Weasley crazy with batteries. Fred and George had spiked Bill's pumpkin juice with a muggle alcohol called Vodka... Hermione was having pantyhose whoas. Ginny was trying to avoid Harry due to their recent break up. Annie was looking for Hermione. Harry was looking for Ron,who was looking for Harry, who was avoiding Ginny. Remus and Charlie were watching the mayhem insue.

"Harry!" Ron said outside the door to the girl's room

"Ron!"

"AHHHHH!" Hermione cried falling off her bed, why she was wearing hose on a summer day... no one will know

"Hermione?"

"Harry?" Hermione yelled

"FRED!!!" Mrs. Weasley yelled

"Run!" George advised Fred, who was about to get caught for spiking Bill's juice

"Ron," Fred cowered behind Ron,

"Annie!" Harry said

"Harry.,"

"Annie"

"Ron,"

"Gahhhhhoof!"Hermione squealed as she toppled over

"Hermione?"

"Annie?"

"ARTHUR!" Mrs. Weasley yelled

"GEORGE!" Bill yelled, more like slurred as he stumbled in the crowded hallway

"PANTYHOSE!"

"I'll..." Annie said, giving a look that said "I'll make sure she hasn't been attacked by hose" to a very concerned Ron and Harry

"Thanks"

"Yup"

"Harry..." Ginny said and then turned a corner

"Wait..." He chased after her. Hastily turning the same corner

"Hermione?"

"Annie"

"ahhhhhhh!"

"Hermione?"

"Ron?"

"ANNIE!"Hermione yelled

"What?"

"Falling!" But it was too late, they fell off the bed

"BILL!" Fred whimpered as Bill appeared

"AHHHH!" George yelled

"RUN!"

"PANTYHOSE!"

(Side conversation between Charlie and Remus, "I've never tried to put on pantyhose, but it sounds dangerous...")

"FRED"

"GEORGE!"

"BILL!"

"ARTHUR..."

"GINNY!" Harry chased after a fuming Ginny, who's face was as red as her flaming red hair.

"HARRY!" Ginny ran away faster

"Hermione?" Still concerned for his flustered friend, who was being helped by Annie, get into her pantyhose

"JUMP!" Annie insisted to Hermione

"Ron?"

"Annie!!!!" Hermione Lept, And down they were again... on the floor. And all this, was caused by that flighty temptress... pantyhose.

"I didn't bloody say tackle me to a heap..." Annie groned as Hermione landed on top of her. The panty hose flinging out of the window

"Maybe I won't wear them!" Hermione said panting heavily, as the wind had been taken out of her.

"Lovely, really smashing. Would've been great to hear that oh, five minutes ago..." Annie yelled, and then muttered to herself "Being by panty hose... not on my to do..."

"You got me drunk..." Bill stumbled into the door of the girls room opening it. To find Hermione and Annie helplessly wounded on the floor.

"Just to calm your nerves really..." George said stepping on Hermione's hand,

"I wasn't nervous thank you!"

"Ow that was my hand GEORGE!"

"Arthur if you so much as speak to me I will crush your..."

"Harry, I can take care of myself"

"Ginny, I fully realize that..."

At this point everyone was in the same room, yelling their heads off, for no reason at all really...

"Harry!" Ron yelled

"Ron why are you yelling at me...?"

"Just felt a bit left out really..."

At this point Hermione and Annie were the only ones getting along inthe room, and decided it wise to end the fight before an all out blood bath...

"SILENCE! This is a wedding," Hermione started...

"There are ugly bridesmaids dresses with butt bows and possessed panty hose and you are all ruining it..." Annie spoke as everything in the room just kind of froze.

"With your stupid pranks," Hermione glared at Fred and George,

"And your drama," Annie looked at Harry and Ginny, but it wasn't a glare like Hermione's

"And your batteries,"

"And trusting Fred and George to make you a drink without spiking it..."

"Hmph..." Both girls finished and walked out of the room arm in arm

"That was a bit scary..." Ron quivered reffering to the girls teaming up as one front.

"A bit..."

And the fighting broke out again...

* * *

_Can I ask you a question please, promise you won't laugh at me... honestly I'm standing here afraid I'll be betrayed_

The wedding, as expected, was beautiful; Even with a drunken Bill stammering down the aisle... with the fringe benefit of Fred and George recieving a death glare from a peeved, and fuming Fleur.

But at the reception, sitting at the table byhimself while everyone else was dancing, Harry couldn't help but feel a little sorrowful... Sirius could've been here... Dumbledore, could've been here... and then he thought about Annie, something rather someone he had been thinking about alot for some reason lately...She had gotten to him, and he hardly even knew her. Her smile, the way her hair curled... the pools of water that were her eyes... "Snap out of it man!" Harry thought to himself, and actually hit his own forehead... "Ow..."

And speak of the devil, Annie appeared...

_As twisted as it seems, I only fear love when it's in my dreams  
So let in the morning light and let the darkness fade away_

"Hey you. Not a dancer?" Annie sat down across from Harry strumming her fingers on the table. She looked pretty as always, in a light silvery blue dress that brought out her eyes...

"I only dance when drunk or insane... and since I am neither..." Harry spoke a little too bitterly. Apparently they were the only ones in the room not dancing or eating or looking relatively happy...

"Killjoy much?" She laughed as she spoke, her nose wrinkling a bit whe she did.

"Insane much?" Harry jested, loosening his tie...and couldn't help but give into the moral battle in his head he was flirting, with Annie, he was flirting with Sirius's daughter... Boy was it hot.

"Well you know last week I was chased down the street by large men, wearing white, with butterfly nets. So insanity is a possibility..." She gave a heavy pause noticing Harry wasn't quite himself..."

You wanna go for a walk or something?" Annie said softly extending her hand...

_Can you turn my black roses red?  
Can you turn my black roses red?_

"Yeah, I'd like that." Harry spoke clear and very sure... and took her hand

_Drowning in my loneliness  
How long must I hold my breath?...  
_

* * *

"Mione, would you like to dance?" Ron asked sheepishly

"I'd love to Ronald..."

"That must've been hard..." Annie said, offering empathy to Harry. The had walked and walked and walked, and talked about everything. It was so easy to talk to her, she understood more than Ron and Hermione ever could, try as they may, they hadn't lost parents.

"So what about you? I've talked on and on about myself.. and yet nothing from you... A little Mysterious are we Annie Black?"

"Well if you must know," And then she began to rattle it off, "Annie Black, daughter of Sirius Orion Black and Gwendolyn Graham, age seventeen, birthday is January 23, 5'2", one hundred and two pounds, pianist,"

"Pianist...?"

"Wait I'm not done, played softball for a while, secondbase, for about eight years... Uh, aquarius, favorite book; To Kill A Mockingbird, favorite color; blue, favorite flower; Iris's. Um hmmm what else, I grew up in Oxburrow, went to muggle school for a while. Had a seemingly normal life if you overlook the Werewolves and Safe Harbor Shields... Oh I went to catillian class for a while, learned how to ballroom dance but was promptly kicked out when I blasted my partner into a wall when he got to handsy..."

_I climbed across the mountain tops  
Swam all across the ocean blue  
I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules  
But baby I broke them all for you  
Because even when I was flat broke  
You made me feel like a million bucks  
You do  
I was made for you_

"So..." Annie ended..."Class dismissed..."

"I miss him you know..." Harry said looking down, and absentmidedly running a hand through his already windblown hair.

"I know..." Annie uttered softly, both knew who they were talking about... Sirius.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't..."

"You shouldn't what...?"

Harry hesitated, "Talk about him like he was my father."

"Harry, don't apologize for speaking the truth. I never really knew him the way you did. Yes he was my father, but Remus was my dad..."

"You would've liked him."

"Yeah, I think I would have. But I guess, we'll never know, will we? Do you ever regret what's happenend to you?"

"No, I don't. Because if I didn't have those things happen to me, I wouldn't be who I am today. That's what counts, it's not the fact that it hurts getting there, it's the fact that I survived..."

_You see the smile that's on my mouth  
It's hiding the words that don't come out  
And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed  
They don't know my head is a mess_  
"I guess we should be getting back..."

"Yes, probably... we don't want to worry anyone." Harry started to walk away...

They walked to the Burrow in comfortable silence, hearing the jests and laughter of the remaining wedding crowd. Just as they approached the door...

"Harry? Wait... thanks for this." Annie started walking towards the still Harry Potter

_All of these lines across my face  
Tell you the story of who I am  
So many stories of where I've been  
And how I got to where I am_

"For what?" And just then his question was answered. At first he didn't know what had happened, and then he realized, she kissed him...

_It's true...I was made for you..._

* * *

_Please Review, I'd love some of your thoughts good or bad. _


	3. It Breaks My Heart

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! That is the genious JK Rowling who I bow down to saying "We're not worthy, We're not worthy!"****. I do however own the idea of Havenry and the character Annie. **

Author's Note: Hey Guys, I'm going to speed through some stuff. I just want to get this up. I hope you all are liking it. If you are thinking when reading this, boy aren't Annie and Harry going a bit fast...? Well yes and no. I'm skipping the rest of summer. But i'll summarize it all. I'm also going to skip finding the first Horcrux, because I have no ideas on how to write that particular one. But as to what's coming up soon in the story, here's some hints, there will be a trainwreck (not literally), a battle of well... not wits but a battle none-the-less..., and the truth about finding love... Okay that last one was cheesy but whatever. I also just saw Order of the Phoenix and am throughly convinced in RonHermione ship now. Okay in real life, not too cute together, in the movie gorgeous couple. I loved it, I was crying because it was so good! Btw, if you want to avoid the crowds go at like the 10:15am or 11am shows. No one's there really. Supposedly you can't post lyrics on fanfic, so the Song is Fidelity by Regina Spektor

* * *

_I wish people who have trouble communicating would just SHUT UP! -Tom Leher_

* * *

Harry Potter: Arms of the Angel

Chapter 3: It Breaks My Heart...

September 1st:

"Be good, stay safe," Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry harder than she ever had before, which Harry didn't think to be humanly possible. The sound of the steam engine roared as students made their way aboard, about to endeavour another year at Hogwarts. Fred and George had also come to see them off.  
"I swear, Hogwarts phenomenon... First years just keep getting smaller and smaller." Fred said making a squeezing gesture with two fingers.

"I hate to say it, but I agree with you one hundred percent..." Hermione winced and stepped on the train. And with that Fred, blushed for the first time in the seven years Harry knew him. Which made Harry laugh a bit on the inside.

The Hogwarts Express, was as always packed with students, who were trying desperately to find a seat. Harry and Annie avoided eachother as much as possible, they had started well hmmm what's the word? A fling isn't quite right... They started something over the summer and felt no need to publicize it quite yet. It had truly been a taxing summer, having found one of the three horcruxes left to destroy; and sneaking around the Burrow with Annie, trying to not be seen in their snog sessions... And now to the reason Harry, Ron and Hermione are returning to Hogwarts, and with Annie in tow.

McGonagall had felt need, for a little more protection at Hogwarts. Yes they had Aurors, and yes Hogwarts had defensive charms and spells casted around the grounds. But with Dumbledore gone, Minerva was afraid that Voldemort would no longer fear coming near Hogwarts. So having someone who could cast a shielding charm to cover at least fifty people could come in handy right? Annie would pose as a transfer student and blend in as much as possible... that was the plan that Annie, very reluctantly, agreed to.

As for Harry, Hermione, and Ron; McGonagall thought they should finish their last year at Hogwarts. "It's a shame to waste six years of magical education I had to painstackingly beat into your brain..." as she put it. And of course, the trio was too terrified of McGonagall to reject her wishes.

All the compartments were full, so they had to split up. Hermione and Annie taking a compartment with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil... malcontently of course. And Harry and Ron sitting with Neville and Luna. Both compartments shutting their doors...

"So Hermione, are you going to introduce us to your friend" was said in one compartment, while in the other "I spent the summer hunting Bogeywongers of the Deep, how about you?"

"Muffiliato," Annie muttered under her breath,

"Annie! Where'd you learn that from?"

"Found it written in a journal in the attic at my house," Annie said without any shame... Hermione just then realized Annie probably had the same knack for trouble that Harry, Ron and Hermione had.

"Well normally I would disapprove of that dark spell but, since you used it on the Gossip Gaggle over here, I'll bow down and say thank you, thank you." Hermione giggled while making a bowing gesture. It was nice how fast the two girls had become friends, considering Ginny didn't really hang around Hermione since Hermione hung out with Harry...

"Anyways, I was wondering if you would be so kind to help me create my 'backstory'... I mean people are going to wonder why a new girl is suddenly popping up. And seeing as I'm a super secret under cover agent..." (joking about the last part) "I'm going to need an alias... right?"

Hermione nodded half smiling at Annie's way of begging for help, "Hmmmmm... well I don't know if I have time in my busy day to help such a minor cause" she said sarcastically, and with that they got down to business...

* * *

"I heard she's from Durmstrang, supposedly Krum's cousin?" 

"Krum's cousin? Wait I thought they didn't let girls into Durmstrang..."

"Only the really good ones."

"I think she's part Veela..."

Were all converstaions that could be heard in in the Halls of Hogwarts during the early days of September.

"It's madness really, today in the bathroom I overheard that I'm a deatheater from Tawain..." Annie spoke in exasperated hushed tones in the library... and to that Harry, Ron and even Hermione were laughing out loud. Not to mention recieving death glares from Madam Pince.

"Because apparently the skinny five foot girl looks like a death eater... from tawain no less..."

"The things people come up with," Hermione muttered under her breath, as Harry and Annie played footsie under the desk with no one knowing. They still didn't want to tell anyone yet. But all that work of keeping it a secret was blasted to shreds when Annie giggled quite loudly... as Harry apparently hit a weak spot near her ankle... and began to blush.

"What's up with you two,?" Hermione asked as Ron suddenly became very interested in his book.

"Nothing, nothing at all" Annie said, a little to quickly to be convincing in Hermione's opinion. And then, the kiss of death, Harry just had to add the word, "Honest." And the nice game of footsie turned violent as Annie kicked him, quite hard, in the shin.

"Ow..."

"What?!" Hermione asked, she was getting too much pleasure out of seeing them flee from her glances.

"Nothing," Annie said in a sing song voice that clearly stated 'shut up or i'll kill you'

"Hermione just let it go," Ron finally entered the conversation, seeing both his friends faces (he now considered Annie a friend) go even more white than they already were; which was saying something because both Harry and Annie were relatively pale already. The guilty parties shot Ron a look of thanks.

"I demand to know the truth." Hermione put it bluntly... and then more shockingly, Annie said "No..." turned her head up a bit and walked away. The look of shock on Mione's face was well lets just say, priceless enough to make Ron and Harry fall of their chairs laughing, much to the dismay of Madam Pince. And Hermione also left with a "Hmph!"

"Thanks, for that..." Harry said timidly at his friend who was just smiling at him, giving the 'I know what you're hiding look'

"So you're seeing Annie? Hmm..."

"What's with the Hmm...and I'm not seeing Annie"Harry was really quite terrible at lying. To Pure of Heart, was how he liked to put it

"Nothing, nothing at all. Pretty, smart, someone who actually challenges Mione..." Ron said picking at his nails...

* * *

October:

October came and went with Quidditch season entering with a bang, without Malfoy games were actually a little more enjoyable. Actually Hogwarts was quite enjoyable... until.

Harry and Annie had been going strong until one blustery evening. Harry, Ron, and Ginny had to leave the Great Hall early due to Quidditch practice, Hermione was in the library leaving Annie alone with Dean Thomas. She got up to exit and was flagged down by Dean,

"You know it's late, want me to walk you back...?"

"Erm..." Man this is awkward, she thought..."Um well it's nice of you to offer, but I'm fine."

"Really I insist..."

"Er, okay I guess." And they left the Great Hall...

"So I uh, don't have a girlfriend..."

"Uh... I"m sorry," What was she supposed to say to the worst pick up line on the planet...? She really should have gone to quidditch practice with Harry.

"You?" Hmm... she thought, what was the word. Harry and Annie really hadn't defined what they were. What was she supposed to do to end the worst conversation in the history of the world? "It's complicated...goodnight De.." and then the worst thinkable thing that could've happened, happened. Dean kissed her, badly too. It was like a disaster slowly starting to form, and just went down hill. Could this guy not get the hint?

"What are you doing?" Annie smacked his head and forced him off of her.

"Yeah I think I'd like to know that too..." Oh Shit. Harry had magcially appeared (no pun intended) at a very bad time. And so began the greatest fight Hogwarts had ever seen. It started with Harry bolting around the corner,

"Harry! Harry!" and Annie chasing after him. It was so cliche' but so true. She ran and ran back to the common room to find Harry halfway to the dormitory steps. "Harry!" Ron was getting his broom and was just about to leave when he was pushed down by Annie, who was running quite hard after Harry. Hermione was reading by the fire and saw the scene unfold.

"What! You want to tell me why you were snogging Dean Thomas?" There were many gasps and Ooooos throughout the room

"It was definitely not snogging! More like having my face sucked off! If you would give me a second to explain you stubborn arse!"

"Oh she just dug herself into a hole there," Ron whispered to Hermione, they were wondering if it would be better to stop the fight or just watch the madness insue...

"Stubborn Arse?"

"Yes! Stubborn Arse! You didn't see me smack his head silly? I was leaving the Great Hall, by myself, and he asks if I want him to walk me back here, I say no! He comes anyways, tells me he doesn't have a girlfriend and kisses me! Without my consent mind you! What are we doing here Harry?"

"First of all I don't think Dean would do that, he's a friend! And what do you mean, "What are we doing?"

"They were dating?" Hermione asked Ron

"Geez Mione, keep up with the times..." Ron smiled, Ron was always the clueless one about things like this. It was nice to be on the other side."Since Summer..."

"How could I not know this?" Hermione was always the emotional thinker, how did she not see the signs. And then it hit her, the library, the evasive smiles in the hall, the blushing. "I really don't think Annie would hurt Harry..."

"SHHHH!" A bunch of Gryffindors went, even, surprisingly,the boys.

"Sorry..."

"I mean what are we doing? Are we dating? Are we friends? Are we friends that kiss? Really Harry, what are we?"

"Nothing, nothing at all..." Harry replied cooly

"Bad Answer Harry," Hermione said to herself through gritted teeth.

"You are the most stubborn, strongwilled, idiot I have ever met, and I love you! Except your too blind to see that." Annie stormed up to her dorm, quite loudly, Ron wondered how such a little person could make so much noise when they walked?

Harry was halfway to his dorm as was she when he turned and said, "You know what, you just lost me."

This was the straw that broke the cammels back. The iceburg that hit Titanic. The one thing that insued all rage.

"Well you can't lose something you never had. Levicorpus!" She cried, and Harry was lifted upside down hanging by his shoe. And then he realized, she did that without a wand. Annie stormed up the stairs and gave the world the loudest, most painful, destructive door slam known to the history of man. Legend says those within a mile had a prominent ringing in their ears for a week, I don't buy it though.

(In the girls dorm)

Annie curled her head to her knees and just cried. Not aware that one of her shields went up around herself, red for anger.

"LEAVE!," Ginny shouted at the girls who came to gawk at Annie in the dorm. Ginny got as close to her as she could and tried to soothe her a bit. That was the night Annie and Ginny became friends.

He tried to get himself down, but no matter how hard he budged, he just couldn't get down... "A little help here!" He shouted in a voice more angry than he had intended. And then something odd happened, all the Gryffindors present in the common room, ignored him and went to their dormitories. Finally Ron let him down, but not gently and stormed off to his dorm. Hermione made sure Harry was okay, but then stormed off giving the patented "Hermione Glare" the entire way.

All the Gryffindors, sided with Annie. The new girl, not Harry, but Annie. Where was that freakin Lion Loyalty when you needed it? He was avoided by all the next day, and for about a month after. The whole school knew about what was being called the worst public fight in Hogwarts History, which was an exaggeration, but it was Hogwarts, nothing was ordinary even if it was.

Hermione and Ron said they wouldn't talk to him until he made things right. They saw something between Harry and Annie that they didn't see themselves. Ron and Hermione saw the spark, but Harry and Annie were just to stubborn to see it. He really had been an ass. A big giant git. Annie was the only person who ever challenged him like that, the only person not afraid to tell Harry the blatant truth. And for that he felt maybe she really did love him. And maybe just maybe he really did love her.

* * *

November:

Friday November 7th,

The begining of November was really just as bad as October. No communication between Harry and Annie, just glares. Very hurtful glares... Ron had begun speaking with him, figuring the battle of the glares would never end. Until one morning, there was slight communication between both camps. Annie left Hermione and Ginny in the Great Hall just before the mail came.

A parcel adressed to Hermione, Ron, and Ginny fell onto Harry's plate.

_To Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny:_

_Order meeting, at the (a pic of three broomsticks) you know when, you know what time. Important information is going to be discussed, thought you should know._

_Blue_

_PS: You might want to bring Luna_

The Parcel also had four pairs of Weasleys Extendable Ears and a small view finder that would fit through a hole in a wall or floor and then you look through the top.

"Hermione, Ginny.." Harry called down the table through gritted teeth, they still weren't talking to each other. Hermione and Ginny looked just as pissed as Harry was as they walked towards him.

"Here," He gave the letter to them, while they read they both looked a little confused.

"Blue who's Blue?" Hermione placed the note down in front of Harry and sat down on the other side of the table, Ginny followed suit.

"It was Harry's nickname for Annie when they were dating, she always wears blue..." Ron grunted as Harry elbowed him in the stomach "Ow!"

"You know when, you know what time... hmmmm" Hermione said squinting at the letter

"Could it be any more vague?" Ron asked snapping the note from Hermione

"No Ronald" She snatched the note back, "It couldn't be more clear, when did the Order **always** meet when we were at Grimmauld Place, always..."

"Thurdays at Seven..." Harry muttered

"Well I for one think we should go, Annie doesn't seem like a rule breaker so it must be really important." Ginny stated matter-of-factly, adding in her two sense.

"I agree with Ginny," Hermione said

"Me too," Ron stated clearly

"Fine, we'll meet in the entrance hall at Six o'clock, bring Luna." Harry said, And with that Ginny and Hermione were gone.

"You okay mate?" Ron asked Harry, who was stabbing his mashed potatoes quite violently

"No,"

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No,"

"Alright," Ron said and after a long uncomfertable silence "You miss her don't you?"

"Yup..."

"You know what you have to do?"

"Yup..."

"Alright then." Ron smiled and left the Great Hall.

In the common room:

"I have news!" Ron plopped next to Hermione

"Than work for a newspaper, I'm reading." Hermione said not taking her eyes from her book.

"I have news," Ron huffed

"We've been here before,"

"I have news,"

"Spit-it-out!" Hermione said hitting Ron upside the head.

"Harry's going to apologize to Annie," He paused dramatically for shock value.

"No!"

"Yes!

"No!"

"No...?" Ron said to throw Hermione

"No?"

"Yes!"

"So yes!"

"Yes!"

"Well good for Harry, did he say when he was going to begin the groveling process?" Hermione huffed with a smile on her face...

"Well, not exactly..." Ron twiddled his thumbs...

"Not exactly! I swear, if those two are not back together in one week, we're locking them in the closet and they're not coming out!"

Ron and Hermione shook on it and parted ways.

The Next Thursday 5:59 ish:

"Hello Ron," Annie plopped in an armchair by the blazing Gryffindor fire.

"Oh hey Annie,"Ron sighed, twiddling his thumbs again

"Alright, what's wrong...?" Ron was clearly worried about something.

"Can I ask you a question?" Ron said quite vaguely and met her gaze

"Sure..." Annie spoke a little unsure...

"How's my hair?" Ron looked back down to twiddling his thumbs

"What?"

"Don't make me ask again..."

"It's good Ron..."

"Really?"He brought his head back up.

"Oh yeah, you've got nice hair."

"Thanks,"

"Just for you know, curiosities sake, why pray tell are you asking me about your hair...?"

"Imaypobilybeinluvmione..."

"Hmm didn't quite catch that?"

"I may possibly be in love with Hermione..."

"Oh!" (long pause)... "What does that have to do with you hair?"

"I wanted a girls opinion... on my hair. And I can't ask Mione for obvious reasons and..."

"Ginny would never let you forget it." Annie said now trying not to laugh, "Ron,"

"Yes,"

"May I give you a bit of advice?" She waited for his head to nod, "Be yourself. You are one of the greatest guys... no you my friend are one of the greatest men I know. You're kind and sweet, smart, funny... just, just be yourself. Hermione likes you for you. Not your hair, but you. Okay?"

"Alright... hey Annie..?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks,"

"Your welcome, oh crap... I'm late, gotta run. Bye Ron!" She said running halfway out the portrait hole.

Ron looked down at his watch and just started running, he was late aswell.

* * *

The Order of the Phoenix Meeting is next! Funny stuff is coming, review to keep me going! 


	4. The Mysterious Ways of Miss

**Author's Note: Hey all, this chapt, is a bit of a cliff hanger and the drop kind of happens at the end, so to speak. You kind of get to see what Annie has to deal with as far as the Order goes, seeing as not alot happens in this chapter I added a bit o' humor. And I'm bringing back a character we all know and love, Mr. Oliver Wood. Yes the swooning can begin. **

* * *

_But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way. Jane Austen, Northanger Abby_

* * *

_Age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates youth. JK Rowling_

* * *

Harry Potter Arms of the Angel

Chapter 4: The Mysterious Ways of Miss Black

If Annie had known what she was walking into, she may have turned around and runaway screaming. The Order of the Phoenix was a typically very dignified and orderly organization, but tonight was pure and utter chaos. Annie glanced down at her watch, they were only ten minutes into the meeting and already McGonagall was being held back by Moody and Kingsley. Which was funnier to watch than it sounds. Stepping over the bodies of Moody and Kingsley who had been thrown off by Minerva, This should've been the moment Annie turned back and screamed "The world is not in it's right mind!" But she decided to have some Gryffindor bravery and face the weird world she was about to step into. Annie made her way over to a beaming Remus and a laughing Tonks. This really was a priceless moment, 'one that should be documented on camera,' Annie thought. But the Weasley twins, like always, were way ahead of her and already had a quick quotes quill and a camera out.

"Hello Papa," She kissed Remus on the cheek, and couldn't help but notice he looked a little scrawny.

"I thought I smelt your scent." Remus spoke holding Annie in his arms getting a good look a her, it had been months since he had seen his adopitve daughter.

"Has anyone ever told you that the whole werewolves sniffing people out thing is a little bit creepy," Annie laughed making a small pinch with two fingers.

"Tonks, how are you? I haven't seen you in forever!" Annie hugged Tonks who couldn't stop laughing at the very disgruntled Moody and Kingsley.

"I'm great sweetheart, you?" Tonks replied warmly, Annie and Tonks had a great friendship since Tonks began dating Remus.

"I'm... fine," She said putting on a smile... "Looking after him I hope?" Annie looked over her shoulder at Remus, and Tonks just nodded glumily. "Alright, let me find my seat before it's noticed I'm late, but I'll find you after..." Annie walked stealthily over to her seat between Oliver on one side, who had joined the Order at the same time she had, causing them to have a bit of a brother/sister relationship at meetings, they were both new meat; and Fred and George on the other. This should be an interesting night she thought to herself.

"Oliver," She said giving a quick hug to him "Hope Puddlemere isn't working you too hard..."

"Oh not a bit, but I'm afraid you've got your hands fairly full. Ron, Harry, and Hermione, are quite hard to keep up with if memory serves me right." He spoke in his rogue Scottish accent that made all the women in the world weak in the knees.

"Oi, what's he mean by that?" Ron whispered. It was quite tight quarters; Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and Luna were all under the invisibility cloak and had climbed up a floor above where the Order was, a perfect spot to drop the extendable ears and their little viewscope through a hole in the floor. "Ow Ronald that was my foot!"

"Fred, George!" Annie hadn't seen the Twins in quite a while, they were the only reason for coming to these meetings most of the time considering the Order didn't really respect the views of their younger members, meetings got quite boring when one had nothing to do but stare at their feet. So Oliver, Fred, George, and Annie had gotten close.

"Ah, the lovely Miss Black. How do you do," Fred and George mocked deep bows.

"Oh sit down and shut up you two," Annie Joked and then whispered,"and if you wouldn't mind, make me a copy of Catwoman over there attacking Moody, it's going to be my Christmas card picture."

"Oh were way ahead of you!"Fred and George winked mischieviously pulling out a long roll of magical film. And with that everyone was seated, Annie whispered to Oliver "So what did I miss, that made McGonagall almost attack someone?" Oliver laughed quietly as did Annie, the thought of Minerva McGonagall attacking someone the muggle way, was absolutely ludicrous, but hilarious at the same time.

"Arthur, wondered if she was a bit too old to be going on 'Missions' for the Order. And she kind of pounced on him."

"Serves him right..."

"Miss Black, You're late!" Professor McGonagall should seriously consider a change in career, can anyone say Warden McGonagall reporting for duty?

Annie thought to herself for a quick second... and then said "Oh I know... I hope I'm not pregnant," In a mock worried tone. This got laughs from the younger generation of Order Members... (Fred, George, Oliver, Bill, Fleur, Tonks...) and glares from the older members.

"Wood banged the meeting in fifteen minutes ago!"

"Dirty!" She took a sharp intake of breath and mocked an astounded voice. This again got laughs from the same people as Remus just shook his head in a way that clearly stated 'I-did-not-raise-her!' and thought to himself how much Sirius and James would've loved her.

"What was that Miss Black?" McGonagall looked ready to pounce...

"We believe," started Fred

"That Annie here, made a humorous comment and/or statement sometimes reffered to..." George added

"as a Joke," They both finished looking satisfied with themselves. McGonagall just shook her head disaprovingly and sat down.

Fred leaned towards Annie, "You're wearing Black, not your preferred color. Go to a funeral?" It was true, Annie had always, always worn blue for as long as she could remember, every day of her life. The Twins knew this well, knowing her longer than most people, but we'll get to that later. For some reason; she always chose blue. Hmmmm Blue is the color of loyalty, intellect, and peace. Seems to reflect our Blue Girl quite well.

But yes the color choice (A/n I'm getting to a point, I promise this is important) was intentional. It was a well known fact that the Order didn't treat their younger members the same as their older members. The young ones ideas were always shot down, and they were never really considered a vital part of the Order even if they were truly important. So Annie had dressed a bit older, wearing a form fitting black, turtle neck sweater, with dark wash skinny jeans and leather boots with her jeans tucked in, and black wizarding robes. Even Fred and George dressed a bit more grown up in black dragon hide suit jackets. I guess subconciously, this was their way of seeming older. Their only way to demand a morsel of respect.

"We've got a heavy agenda this evening, let's begin shall we...? First I think we must tackle the problem we've been dancing around since Albus's death, leadership. This is not a decison to be taken lightly, The Order of the Phoenix has never had the problem of picking a leader. There had always just been, a natural leader in the group. But we think it best to call a vote for a leader. Also tonight we must discuss the progress of our various tasks and unique projects." She said eyeing the twins on the word 'unique.' Harry couldn't place it, but even through the tiny viewscope he could tell McGonagall had lost her tinge of sparkle. Maybe it was due to the fact Dumbledore was gone, and maybe it was due to the war. But she certainly wasn't the same.

Annie just sighed, to her it was obvious who their leader_** should**_ be. Or at least had the right to be. She zoned out for a while as thoughts of Harry crept into her mind, yes he was an insufferable git sometimes, but that didnt' make her love him any less. Wait did I just think the word love? Annie yelled in her mind... Well love is a word she used quite a bit when she thought about Harry. She knew that she had only known him for a few months before she used the 'L' word, and it was in the heat of the moment. But she meant it. Every day she had spent with Harry made her happy. But he didn't think of her like that obviously... except what Annie didn't know, he was thinking about her in the exact same way right now, he really loved her too. Annie and Harry were both pulled out of their seperate reveries...

"Miss Black, how has your stay at Hogwarts been going?" Moody asked quite grumpily, he was most likely watching Annie daydream...

"Fine, just... fine." Annie had to admit she was being pretty vague, but she really didn't feel like being here right now.

"Do us the pleasure and grace us with a bit more information Miss Black!!" Moody almost shouted at her. Harry, still listening and watching this transpire had the sudden earge to punch good ol' Mad Eye. But he had another thing coming. People often forgot, seeing Annie's pretty and petite exterior, that she was astonishingly fierce when she wanted to be.

Throwing a look at Moody that would make the Dark Lord himself cower and beg for mercy, Annie began; "Well Mr. Moody if I must, oh what was the word you used, yes 'grace' you with more information; I would hope you would ask a bit nicer next time. Otherwise suffering the rath of a very pissed off Haven." Even Harry found himself laughing, Annie wouldn't hurt a fly and Moody knew it. Yet her assertiveness shocked even him. "But all is well at Hogwarts, seeing as there have been no reports in the The Profet or from Professor McGonagall of any attacks on the school. I'm actually out of practice shield wise,haven't had to use it in a while. My guess is it's the calm before the storm, If I were Vol..." And she was abruptly cut off by McGonagall.

"Well nice to see someone's life is going easy..." McGonagall said bitterly

"I... I don't think she said it was eas..." Oliver tried to defend Annie a bit, but was also, cut off.

"Moving on to more important matters..."

"They're eating them alive down there..." Ginny said a little astonished, she'd never heard the Order be this well... mean to eachother.

"I believe it is time to vote, ladies and gentlemen..." They went round robin around the table and everyone voted for their candidate so to speak. So far it was between McGonagall and Moody, which meant it came down to Annie's vote.

"Miss Black?" A voice asked impatiently, but she was in a trance as she looked at the extendable ears dangling slightly from the ceiling and smiled to herself. "Miss Black?"

"I nominate one Harry Potter for consideration of leader of the Order of the Phoenix."


	5. Contracts

Author's Note: Okay I made a mistake, I was supposed to change the name of this fic when I started posting revisions. It needs to be changed, but if it will confuse anyone let me know. I'm changing it in the next update to Harry Potter and The Power of Seven, it's a much better title and it will fit better with the story. If this will mess you up at all, tell me, but use the reviews to communicate since my email is down. I really hope you all enjoy this chapt, it's short but we begin to see the choice between right and easy. Thanks!

Also thank you to, Monica Ryan and ReAdErWrItErWhAtEvEr for putting this story on their alert list and to bch1993 for putting this story and me as an author on his or her favs list! Thanks for sticking with me!

* * *

_We can't all be heroes, because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by -Will Rogers_

_Wars teach us not to love our enemies but hate our allies -W.L. George_

* * *

Harry Potter and the Power of Seven

Chapter 5: Contracts

"You cant be serious!" Professor McGonagall looked ready to snap, Annie had ruined her prescious order. She should have expected it, the daughter of Sirius Black would want to shake things up, not truly help! But that was where McGonagall was wrong...

"I couldn't be more serious..." Annie replied cooly. Meanwhile Harry, was cursing Annie. He didn't want to be the leader of the Order of the Phoenix, he just wanted to be able to join! "Harry stop swearing, she's got a point!" Hermione stepped on Harry's foot to shake him out of it.

"I'm quite frankly astounded that Harry not to mention Ron and Hermione haven't been able to join the Order in the first place! You want to talk about a 'Natural Leader?' " Annie banged her fist on the table, which got 'Ooooo's' from Fred and George.

"Harry Potter, is a mere boy!"

"Hey!" Harry almost shouted...

"He is not strong enough or mature enough in his actions to be in this Order let alone lead it, and neither are his friends!" Moody stepped in and Annie stood up, which didnt' have the desired effect she had wanted, seeing as she was quite short. Even though they were a floor away, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were all fuming aswell, ready to pounce but Luna and Ginny held them back.

"I'm not any older! So if you are going to discriminate against age! If you don't let them join, what are they supposed to do? Fend for themselves, we all know that they're not just going to sit back and eat bon bons! They want to fight as much, maybe even more than we do! With all due respect, I think they've got more nerve and desire to win this than all of us put together."

"Miss Black! How dare you disrespect this fine society!"

"Yes, I'm...sorry..." Annie cowered and began to sit, but she got a nod from Remus that looked like 'We back you up.' "You know what? I'm not sorry! Not one bit..." Annie stood again, and felt arms under her placing her on the table... Obviously the Twins and Oliver backed her up too. Or they wanted her to do a strip tease... either one. Annie began to pace up and down the table. Organizing her thoughts. She was surprised no one had stopped her so far...

"Ron Weasley is an exceptionally kind and loyal person. And has more backbone and heart than he's given credit for." Annie spoke clearly as she paced, Ron smiled at her compliments. "Luna Lovegood is not only intelligent, but she is unwavering in her ability to make us all see the things most just ignore, which could be an advantage in this war. She is an old soul, if I may say so. One of the wisest young women I have had the fine pleasure to meet. Hermione Granger is the most intelligent witch of her age, and yet you fail to see that because of her age. Ginny Weasley, is sweet, and funny, and a powerful witch who is always up for a hard fight. She knows what it's like to be attacked by Voldemort. And yet again you fail to see her experience due to her age. And last but not least Harry Potter, has more courage, more bravery, and the Purest Heart of anyone in our world. He has had to face more loss and tragedy in his short eighteen years than anyone should ever have to experience in their entire lifetime. And yet you think he's not good enough for your army. I would be honored to fight along any of these people, and I would think you would be too,but no! Your constant ageism and predjudice against anyone with a half way decent idea clouds your minds of the possibility of fighting proudly among some of the greatest young Witches and Wizards in the world!"

"Dumbledore wouldn't have wanted it this way!" McGonagall the always loyal friend of Albus had to defend his memory.

"I respectfully, disagree! He would've wanted a bit more peace in the world. Being the best means fighting with the best! I swear you all wouldn't know leadership if it bit you in the armpit...!" And with that she sat down, Annie recieved smiles from Tonks, Lupin, Oliver, and the Twins. But glares like always from the rest of the room. She didn't realize what had just happened, or what inside her felt the need to outburst like that, but it felt good. She had to ask herself though, why did she defend Harry?

Harry had always felt guilty for the way he treated Annie, but now he felt like a giant boulder of guilt had crushed him to smithereenes. She was defending him even when he had been an absolute jerk to her. For once in Harry's life, someone was more loyal, and maybe noble than he was. He wondered how Annie, who owed him nothing could give so much. Where Harry, who gave nothing, owed her everything...

"Now Miss Black, if you're done with your little outburst, we have..."

"More important matters to attend to than my opinions..." Annie gave it right back to McGonagall... she had never really liked the woman. Tonight just confirmed those feelings.

"Really, we cannot get anything accomplished with tantrums and pointless views from seventeen year old girls..."

With that statement Annie had to bite her tongue to keep any kind of compossure.

'Since when had Professor McGonagall become Delores Umbridge?' Hermione thought to herself... 'And since when was Annie the type of person not to retaliate back, just mere minutes ago she was yelling up a storm defending her point?' And then it clicked, Hermione figured out the real reason Annie had brought them to this meeting. She knew this was going to happen. She knew the Order was going to try to push the Trio away. She was trying to warn them, but ultimately she was trying to warn Harry. Hermione said to herself in her head, Annie that's brilliant! Other than the total betrayal from the Order... and what was with that anyways?

"Harry, we can't trust them anymore..." Hermione whispered to Harry.

A stiffled, "I know," was all Harry could make out. He trusted them all this whole time, but now he didn't know who to trust. He was pulled out of his thoughts by four hands supportively patting his shoulders. He noticed all the members, or traitors as he liked to call them were handed a long official looking roll of parchment.

"I can't believe they're making them sign contracts!" Ginny and Hermione said at almost exactly the same time.

"They don't want their power infringed upon," Luna's dreamy voice came over the harsh whispers...

"That's It!" Hermione exclaimed, she thought to herself, they didn't want Harry, because they feared him taking their glory... that didn't seem like Dumbledore at all, or McGonagall... But these days nothing surprised her anymore. Their former Headmaster and current Headmistress did have an awful lot of secrets.

Before the now livid Harry, could ask Hermione, what "it" was, he noticed something more like alot of someone's wearing expressions on their faces that gave Harry a tinge of reasurance...

(Annie's perspective):

Tidbits from the contract she was now stairing at with rage:

_As a member of the Order of the Phoenix you will not defy the Orders of your leader..._

_As a member of the Order of the Phoenix you will perform your tasks to the best of your abilities while not fraternizing with those outside the Order of the Phoenix_

_As a member of the Order of the Phoenix..._

The List went on and on Annie couldn't help but think how much these rules resembled those of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. She couldn't help but look at the young men on either side of her and see that they were also apprehensive...

(Tonks' perspective):

She couldn't believe it! But for the first time she was questioning where her loyalties truly lied... And couldn't help but look over to Remus who she could tell, was contemplating the same thing...

(Remus' perspective):

How the Order of the Phoenix had changed since the first war. In the first war, the Order was about the fight against evil, the battle between right and wrong. But now it was about a power struggle..

He couldn't help but look at Tonks, and then his adoptive daughter ... (A/N:Seeing a theme here?lol) Tonks gave him a sorrowful look of true conflict, while Annie, Annie gave him a glance of pure confidence, of sheer rage, and lust...? Just then Remus realized, his daughter was in love with Harry Potter.

He was proud to see Annie, drop her quill. They wouldn't know this until many years later, but with the drop of a quill, Annie Black had saved the world.


	6. Collide

Author's Note: I'm already crying over the fact that HP will be done in a few days...:( it's the beginning of the end guys and we saw it all happen.

On a lighter note, the chapter is called the Collide,a brilliant song by Howie Day that I kind of think of as a theme song for Annie and Harry's relationship.

Big thanks as always to: Monica Ryan and ReAdErWrItErWhAtEvEr for putting this story on their alert list and to bch1993 and mrspatrickdempsey, for their reviews and for putting me on faves! (Mer you know you rock as always!)

* * *

_All it takes is faith and trust... and a bit of pixy dust-Peter Pan_

* * *

Chapter 6: Collide

Blue began to slowly rise from her seat again, this was the first time she felt like "Blue," in months... She began to slowly walk towards the exit, the heels of her boots 'click, clack, click' on the rickety wooden floor of the Three Broomsticks, many eyes followed her, as she came close to the door. McGonagall stepped in front of her.

"State your terms Miss Black." The Professor said with the thinest lips Harry had ever seen on McGonagall, which was saying something. McGonagall was trying to stop one of the most valuble members of the Order from walking out. Even though she didn't like to admit it, Annie really was their only safety guarentee.

"I have none, and I can't speak for Potter and his friends, but I doubt they trust any member of this 'fine institution' after this evening." Annie spoke glancing at the hole in the ceiling and smiling to herself. The rest of the room followed suit and pondered at the hole in the ceiling and didn't realize what she was looking at, except of course the Weasley clan. Fred and George smirked looking quite proud of their little mischief maker.

"Explain yourself Miss Black,"

"As of oh," she glanced at her watch, "Six fifty this evening, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley have seen and heard everything that had occured in this very room. Moody and his all seeing eye failed to noticed five very prominent pairs of extendable ears and a viewscope that were dropped through a hole in the floor of the story above us." Oh how, Sirius, James, and Lily would've loved to meet her, Remus thought to himself trying to not laugh at the very cold glare being given to McGonagall and Moody the supposed "leaders" of the group by all members of the Order of the bloody Phoenix!

"Professor McGonagall, I advise you to move," Annie was trying to get past Minerva, but the professor must have been a Keeper in a past life time, she was not letting anyone through that door. Annie knew too many of the Orders secrets.

"Professor, please move." Annie pleaded, she really didn't want to have to hurt McGonagall, no matter how infuriated she was with the feline right now. She tried yet again to pass her, and was shoved to the ground. Even with pleads from other members of the Order, McGonagall was not moving.

_I'm quiet you know  
You make a first impression  
I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind  
_

"Oh for pete's sake" Annie hoisted the teacher in the air with a wave of her hand, not a wand, but her hand. She performed the task without muttering a word. Annie had anticipated what would happen next, as she threw her hand up to hex McGonagall, Moody attempted to petrify her. Without giving her a chance to think to do so, her Haven skills kicked in and put her natural defence shield or safe harbor around her (although the shield wasn't necessary seeing that Remus, Tonks, Bill, Fleur, Oliver, Fred, George, Molly, and Arthur had their wands pointed at Moody and even Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Luna had all five of their wands pointed through the hole in the floor/ceiling.)

"Consider this my resignation from the Order and from my current task at Hogwarts. I will not leave the castle until Holiday breaks, this should be an addiquate amount of time for you to take the precautions necessary in protecting your students." With that Annie slowy put McGonagall down and the professor scampered out of the way and Annie slammed the door. Harry also slowly left the group he was with in an attempt to follow Annie, he would deal with the 'traitors' as he now called them later. He slipped away unnoticed and ran after his girl.

_Even the best fall down sometimes  
Even the stars refuse to shine  
Out of the back you fall in time  
I somehow find  
You and I collide  
_

Meanwhile Bill, Arthur, Remus, and the Twins walked closer to Moody with a look in their eyes that said kill the mad man... It was interesting how fast The Weasleys had taken to Annie ever since they met her a few years ago (explanation coming...)

Harry ran through the streets of the tiny villiage of Hogsmeade managing to knock over some bystanders, until he finally saw the back of the one thing he wanted most. He sprinted as fast as he could, spun her around and kissed her. Right there in the middle of an overcrowded village square, but he didn't notice anyone but her.

_I somehow find you and I collide..._


	7. Keep Breathing

Disclaimer: I don't own anything HP related...

Author's Note: This is a short chapter, but you'll like it, I promise. Not a ton happens though. It's set to Ingrid Michaelson's Keep Breathing, an awesome song that I reccomend to anyone. It can be found on youtube.

* * *

_In case you're worried about what's going to become of the younger generation, it's going to grow up and start worrying about the younger generation. **Roger Allen**_

* * *

Chapter 7: Keep Breathing...

_Storm is coming but I don't mind..._

Love, is as we all know, is the opposite of hate. Yet somehow the two coincide in any great love story. When you think of the greatest couples of all time, who do you think of? Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, The entire Oedipus complex; to name a few. All loves that occured during times of tragedy, loss, and sorrow. What is it about hate that drives us to love?

Snow started to fall down towards the streets of Hogsmeade village. The dark night's sky was turned light by the sudden falling of winter. The crisp night air just added to the picturesque feel of this moment.

_People are dying, I close my blinds..._

Flashback to about 10 minutes before the snow started...

Annie broke the very passionate kiss she was sharing with Harry and looked straight up to the sky, and sniffed the air. Harry had to admit, she always surprised him. She would always be a bit of a mystery, and he liked that about her.

_All that I know is I'm breathing...now_

"Snow," Annie said dreamily looking at a bare night's sky, with no sight of the glorious fluffy white stuff.

"We weren't supposed to have snow for weeks..." Harry said conversationally. He had just kissed his estranged ex-girlfriend and that was what he chose to say?

"I can feel it..." Annie said walking in a circle looking at the sky.

"You can feel snow?" Harry asked skeptically pacing towards were Annie had stopped a few feet away from him. They both looked up at the still empty sky. She didn't answer his question...

_I want to change the world instead, I sleep..._

"So what was that Harry? Just now," Annie still not taking her eyes off the sky.

"I might just have to ask you the same thing... the Order meeting...?"

"They've been shady for a while Harry, it was just getting them to admit it. It's not what you think, they're not out to get you, but their certainly not out to help you either. It's a power struggle, nothing more. I just thought you would need to see it first hand... Believe it or not, there are still people you can trust there." She drifted off, still stairing at the sky. Harry wondered what was so fascinating, it wasn't even snowing...

_I want, to believe in more, than you and me..._

"I guess I have to answer your question now?" Annie nodded, for the first time looking at him. "I realized a while ago what a terrible mistake I made in not trusting you... I was, I am going to apologize I just couldn't find the guts to do it. I'm stubborn and I can be a real jerk sometimes because of it. Tonight just put things in to perspective. I thought you were a distraction, I was afraid I would become so in love with you that I would forget all about the things I'm supposed to do, all the things the world is counting on me to do. So for days I just wrote you off, but I couldn't ignore you, it was like you haunted me or something. I couldn't get my mind off you, and the realization that I made the biggest mistake of my life in letting you go. That was the real distraction, not having you in my life. Apparently you're a distraction I'm meant to have. I'm sorry Blue, I really am." She smiled, but in her mind she needed to make him work for it. She was just as stubborn as he afterall.

"So what am I supposed to do, fall into your arms, and cry hysterically. And you'll just tell me that everything will be alright? We're in the middle of a war that we both may very well die in, not to mention others... and you just want me to forget all that and be with you?"

_All I can do is keep breathing..._

"That's exactly what I want you to do. I love you Annie. Nothing's going to change that, not even war." Harry said this with a bit more confidence than he otherwise would've. Something inside him had changed him tonight. A tear strolled down the porcelain face of one Annie black. She pulled him close, and kissed him. It was that simple... and as she had said... the snow began to fall.

_All we can do is keep breathing..._

"How'd you," Harry said pointing to the sky... he was shocked to say the least, how could anyone predict snow like that.

"Snow and I have a special relationship..." She walked around the small square spinning in circles and sticking her tongue out to eat the falling flakes of winter. Her normally pale skin had rosy cheeks from the bitter cold and was wearing a smile that reached her eyes. Her passion, her drive, her smile, those eyes...

_All I can do is keep breathing..._

"Marry me..."

Annie was pulled out of her 'snow trance' as Harry liked to call it... "What?" Annie had heard him, she just wondered if Harry had gone insane.

"Marry me..."


	8. How to Save a Life

This is a really short chapter, but there's alot to take in. Sorry it's taken so long to update, I rewrote this chapter a million times, all were different, but today I got this idea and ran with it. Enjoy!

I'll tell you this, I finished the Deathly Hallows. I was a bit disappointed, but overall it was a page turner. After reading it, this fic will be nothing like Deathly Hallows, the only similarity will be where the final battle takes place, because I've had that planned for a while. Seriously how close were we to guessing Hermione's middle name? We were so close with Jane! I'm also going to start doing character analysis's if anyone wants, it just helps give you guys an understanding of what's going on in my brain character wise. I won't start those for a chapter or two.

* * *

_Follow the road cause it's laid in front of you- __**ReAdErWrItErWhAtEvEr**_

_So we pick and we choose who we want to remain close to... and once we've chosen those people, we tend to stay close by. The people that stay with you at the end of the day, those are worth keeping. **Meredith Grey**_

* * *

Chapter 8: How to Save A Life...

"I...I...don't know what to say..." Annie looked at him with pity, not love but pity.

"Say yes..." Harry let his breath out, he thought it was an obivous answer.

"Harry," She sighed, "Maybe, it would be better if, if we cooled things off for a bit, until there's a plan and an end to this war.It's just, it's easier to focus on the task at hand when... when I'm not falling in love with you. I mean do you trust me? Do you even trust me?"

"I think I do..."

"It's not enough," She started crying, "To think, you have to be sure. I'll be there waiting, when your sure, I'll be waiting. I'll help you in any way I can to beat him, but until you're ready to trust me, we're just friends."

"Oh... um alright..."

"I'm sorry Harry, I really am. Maybe someday... But I want you to know, I'm with you through this, that is if you want my help."

"I'd like that..."

Annie walked to him, gave him a peck on the cheek and turned around. There was a fork in the road... She took the right and followed the path laid before her. Until something terrible happened...

* * *

Meanwhile at the Order of the Phoenix meeting... 

They had just watched Annie walk away from the Order, but not the fight. The twins too, felt an alliegance to Harry. They trusted him with their lives...they dropped their quills, an action followed by Remus, Tonks, Oliver, Bill, and Fleur. And they walked away.

It was simple... understood. This wasn't where they were needed, nor where they wanted to be. The rebels were less than one hundred paces out the door when the most bloodcurdiling scream was heard. The kind of scream that affected anyone who heard it's unpleasant and gutwrenching tones. A cry... of terror, and the sound of death...

Hermione, Ron, Luna, And Ginny also heard the painful scream, and ran through the streets of Hogsmeade until they came upon another group, a familiar group; headed for the same spot.

As soon as Harry heard the scream, he knew exactly who it was coming from. He shouldn't have let her walk back alone, no matter how much it hurt him to say it, she was right. He didn't trust her enough to love her... and that was his greatest mistake, because deep down, he loved her more than life itself, and trusted her, but was too afaid to admit it. All were thoughts that haunted his mind as he ran down the secluded right fork in the road.

And his worst nightmare came true...

Annie lay on the dirt path, pale as a ghost... with a knife protruding from her abdomen. She had been attacked.


	9. The First Cut is the Deepest

**Author's Note: This is a really long chapter where not too much happens as far as like action goes. That'll be later in the story, hint hint. I'm trying to get this back to it's humorous self, so hopefully it's funny. I've decided, yes how mean of me, that I won't update until I get at least two reviews... If this is mean, I guess just come egg my house. **

**Thanks to:**

**mrspatrickdempsey for her continued support **

**all members who have put this story on either their favs or alerts. It means the world to me**

**and last but certainly not least, to my bud Honor, who reads every chapter before I put it up telling me if it sucks or not. ily!**

* * *

_-I feel like crap on toast.- Michel on Gilmore Girls_

Chapter 9: The First Cut is the Deepest...

Blood, all they could see were puddles and puddles of blood and what seemed to be a lifeless form on the snow trodden path. Pale wasn't even close to describing the shade of pure white skin clinging to her frail frame. Bruises and cuts covered her face and hands. For some reason she just looked...tragically peaceful.

"Is she...?" Hermione began softly but stopped. Lupin, Tonks, and Harry slowly walked towards the still body, the sticks and dead leaves crunching as they knelt to the ground. Tonks took Annie's hand in her own and stroked her wrist, while Remus sobbed silently. Harry tried to feel for a pulse on her bruised kneck, the rest of the group just didn't know what to do...

"Harry..." Hermione started to walk towards him...

"No... I won't...I...she can't...she's not supposed to...she's strong..!" Harry spoke through bouts of tears. Hermione draped a supportive arm around her friend, he had been through so much, why this all over again? Why did he always have to lose the people he loved?  
And then they heard it... a sharp intake of breath and a gurgling cough, and those brillantly piercing blue eyes opened. Blood began to seep out of the sides of her mouth as Annie tried to cough something up.

"Roll her to her side! Someone go get help!" Remus almost yelled, as Tonks, Harry, and Hermione obeyed and rolled the young woman to her side and the rest of the group went to seek help. Annie forced as hard as she could without extreme pain (there's a sword in her stomach, remember?) and coughed up what looked to be...

"A snitch?" Harry picked up the tiny golden quidditch ball, covered in blood and could see it had been engraved with something, something that looked like the words _We've taken what you'll sorely miss..._he passed it to Moony who put it in his pocket for later.

"How do you feel," Hermione asked sweetly, although not a thing you really ask at a time like this.

"I have a sword sticking out of my stomach, I feel like a freakin shiskabob!" Annie said weakly, blood dripping from the side of her mouth.

"Do you know what happened?" Tonks inquired, looking into her eyes.

"No, just...just get me out of here..." Her usually firm voice was small and quivered with fear.

"We will, I promise." Harry spoke in words of comfort and rubbed her hand that was colder than ice. She was losing blood, alot of blood. Blood was all they could see, smell. Hermione choked back the bile that made it's way up her already dry throat.

Harry and Lupin snuggly wrapped their jackets around Annie's shivering, teeth chattering, body while avoiding the knife protruding from her stomach. That was when the St. Mungo's guys arrived and Annie blacked out.

_The next day:_

The sunshine of early dawn streamed through the white hospital ward of St. Mungo's hospital, grazing the hands of a young pair. Harry sat wide awake in the chair nearest the bedridden girl, stroking her hand gently while the rest of the world slept. Harry always liked the quiet peace that the crack of dawn provided him, for it was the only time of his life that was always good. There was no one to talk to, no one to threaten him... Just complete and utter silence. Time to think and time to breathe.

A group of characters (now sleeping) had gathered in the room, the metamorph, the werewolf, the eternal mother, brothers and sisters, the jock, a bushy haired friend, and a raven haired boy who gave the girl his heart. They all looked worse for wear, dark circles of a sleepless night forming underneath the eyes of youth and age alike. Even though each were polar opposites from eachother, there was alot of love formed between the bonds of the large somewhat dysfunctional family they had formed.

Exhausted, wasn't even close to describing the complete and total grogginess that Annie felt, it was like her eyelids had fifty pound weights keeping her from opening them the slightest bit. It was so frickin frustrating! Yes she was warm, yes she was comfy, yes someone was romantically rubbing her hand...Wait a second! Who was rubbing her hand? On second thought...where was she? And why the hell was she not wearing any panties?

Harry almost knocked over the side table he was leaning on as he felt Annie, who was just a second ago laying perfectly still in bed, jult up straight forward panting heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Hey, hey you're okay, you're fine. I'm right here." Harry whispered comfortingly as he rubbed her back.

"What? Wait! Where...Huh? On second thought, sitting up, not such a good idea right now." Harry slowly lowered Annie back down on to the hospital bed and plumped her pillows so she could still be comfortable.

"Thank you." Annie thanked Harry, he was a real gentleman, chivalry proved hard to find these days. "What uh...happened?" Annie looked around at all the sleeping figures, who all looked half dead themselves.

"You don't remember?" Harry ruffled his fingers through his mop of thick black hair.

"Um, well here's what I recall, big ow, fall down, go boom, big blood. That's about it..." She giggled nervously, her nose crinkling making her faint freckles stand out even more in the morning light.

"Honestly, none of us really know what happened... But we'll talk about that later, sound good?" Harry waited for her nod.

"Er... Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Annie glanced curiously and cocked an eyebrow towards a slumbering couple on the couch... Ron and Hermione.Okay so, not as Cinemax at Night as I'm making it seem, but still. It was Ron and Hermione, what we've all been waiting for.

Harry and Annie were both silently laughing, with "Ow's" inbetween Annie's fits of laughter.

"I think we should let them sleep..." Annie conquered

"Fine, but really we could..."Harry seemed defeated, but produced a look of mischief on his face that could rival Fred and George.

"No,"

"Or we could"

"No,"

"All we need are some feathers, a bat, and a frying pan."

"Hell No!" They kept whispering in yelling tones (a/n: does that even make sense...)

"Your no fun." Harry huffed and folded his arms like a two year old.

"I'm fun, you just don't know it yet..." They gazed into eachothers eyes for a moment and started to creep closer and closer, and closer...

"Goodmorning Harry, oh Annie!" Tonks interrupted as she knocked over a chair, waking up the rest of the slumbering room.

Annie flopped down on her pillows muttering to herself..."My life is just fanfreakintastically perfect..." blocking out the squels of Hermione and Ron at the realization they had cuddled. She decided it would be wise to fall back asleep.

* * *

"We've taken what you'll sorely miss...We've taken what you'll sorely miss." Annie repeated over and over rolling the snitch in her hand. "Does that sound familiar to anyone?" The adults had been avoiding these kinds of questions all morning, but left to grab something to eat. Their mistake though was leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Annie in a room together for an extended period of time (Luna and Ginny had to go back to school). They were bound to figure it out... 

"Triwizard Tournament..." Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at eachother and all mumbled together.

"Which means," Fred started.

"Whoever did this to you," George pointed towards Annie's stomach

"Knew that riddle,"

"And also knew," Fred stated as George was about to answer but Hermione did...

"That you couldn't be hurt magically." Fred and George stared at Hermione in awe,

"No one,"

"Ever finishes,"

"Your sentences...?" Annie finished. Her and Hermione laughed.

"But that's besides the point, I think we all need to be careful." Hermione stated matter of factly.

"Especially now that we don't have any Order protection..." Harry said as everybody glared at Annie.

"Hey if you would rather be lied and cheated, be my guest." She held her hands up defensively,

"You're right, it's better that we know." Ron declared.

"So what we're all saying is, it's not safe for any of us right now, and we...what?" Harry looked around the room for answers.

"We need a plan..." Annie said distantly and distracted as though she was trying to come up with one.

* * *

Meanwhile the "Adults" (Arthur, Molly, Remus, Bill, Fleur, Oliver, Remus and Tonks) were at the Leaky Cauldron, until they heard a "Stupefy!" and a thud on the ground.

* * *

The Adults returned to St. Mungo's looking worse for wear, almost sauntering they made their way to Annie's room. The group who had chosen to stay at the hospital were in deep discussion of something. 

"Hey...what the?" Harry began, looking quite alarmed.

"How are you feeling?" Lupin asked exhaustedly

"I think I should be asking you all the same thing." Annie almost glared looking for an explanation.

"Okay out with it, what in Merlin's sodding pants happened to you lot?" Fred broke the unwavering silence.

"Oh we were just attacked at the Leaky Cauldron by Death Eater's... that's all."Bill sarcastically spat out. Harry had to admit, Bill's scars made him slightly intimidating.

"We've taken what you'll sorely miss..." Harry muttered under his breath to many "What did he say,"

"Their weeding us down one by one." Annie almost whispered.

"And none of us are safe..." Hermione put her hand over her mouth after she spoke this. Yes they all knew they were certainly Voldemort's targets, but it took being attacked to really realize it.

"Well...I guess it's a good thing we have a plan," Lupin and Fred said at once...

* * *

**Chapter 10: They tried to make me go to rehab...**

"Muffiliato..."Was muttered by Harry before the debate began, who knew it would turn out the way it did.

"That's your plan!?" Lupin shouted, the vein in his forhead popping out.

"That's **_your_ **plan!?" Fred replied back, almost knocking over a small table.

"Okay let's calm down, take a deep breath... listen to some John Lennon...?" Annie for some reason was given the duty of 'Being Switzerland' in this squabble between age and youth. And with that the brunt of the shouting occured. Mrs. Weasley was rounding on her sons, while Bill and Fleur argued with each other. Tonks sided with Harry much to Remus's dismay. Hermione pulled out a book as sat in the corner, while Oliver and Harry began to talk about quidditch. The whole lot of them were insane...

"Okay, REWIND and FREEZE!" Annie flashed her hands suddenly and wandlessly petrified them, 'I have to learn how to do that some day,' Harry thought to himself in his petrified state. "Now I realize we all have different opinions on how not to get killed. Honestly it's reassuring to know we have options... As I see it, we have four choices to consider here, A. We use our plan, separating small groups into different safe houses and lying low for a while possibly preparing ourselves for the inevitable battle. And consider the fact we'd be harder to trace in smaller numbers. B. We use your all's idea, we stick together for a while, in the same house possibly risking the chance of tracing such a large number of magical folk. C. We turn ourselves in and face death like cowards. Or now this is my personal favorite, D. We give Voldy a gift card to a nice Rehab facility so he can delve deep into his emotional self and find the problems within, but something tells me he won't go for that. I will unfreeze you, if we can have a civilized, fair debate about this. Okay?" And with that she unfroze the room, with little success on the civilized part.

"That's the most dimwitted thing I've ever heard!" Remus squabbled.

"Think about it, they're expecting us to send Harry to Grimmauld Place, right?" Annie waited for a nod before she continued on, "They're expecting us to keep the Weasley's at the Burrow, and they're expecting us to put Hermione and crew somewhere in the middle... "

"But then they'll think 'They're Dumbledore's people, they've got to be smarter than that...' So they'll think it impossible that were **that **dimwitted and search elsewhere. They don't think were stupid enough to actually stay in our own homes." Hermione finished.

"And that's why it works," Harry who hadn't spoken up since now said, "Because it's so pathetically dimwitted..." He remembered Fred and George saying this once.

"Exactly..." Annie smiled at Harry, things had been weird between them lately, and things were just about to get weirder.

The Safe House Assignments are as written:

Bill, Fleur, Fred, and George: Shell Cottage (Our deepest sympathies to Fleur... poor girl three Weasley boys in a tiny cottage not aloud to leave, what they'll do for entertainment...)

Tonks, Lupin, and Hermione: Tonks' parent's cottage in Scottland

Oliver was currently subing the DADA job at Hogwarts so he was safe there

Neville was also safe at Hogwarts, they figured he would also be a target

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny (during hogwarts holidays), and Ron at Aunt Muriel's much to their dismay...

and

Harry and Annie at Grimmauld Place... they obviously drew the short straw. The plan would be to lay low for a while, until they could all meet again safely without being tracked and then they would start training for the future of Hunting Horcruxes and building an Army. It was a good enough plan in short, with some major holes though. Cooping Harry and Annie alone in Grimmauld Place during their current realtionship status, that was the 'I'm still pissed at you about the Dean thing, but I'll propose marriage and flirt' stage was not a smart idea...

The next day Annie was granted permission to leave the hospital, her injuries had healed much to the Healers confusion as to why she healed so fast... they just had to say healthy girl and leave before the questions began. Annie wasn't a registered Haven, considering the fact that there hadn't been a haven in a few centuries, she was slightly illegal.

"I guess you'll finally see the most Noble and Ancient House of Black..." Harry said dramatically...

"Should I be scared?" Annie laughed

"Probably," Harry didn't laugh back and actually had quite the grave expression on his face. Dun, dun, dun...


	10. Ballads, and Kisses and Skeeter Oh My!

Chapter 10: Ballads, and Kisses, and Skeeter oh my!

Annie and Harry snuck their way out of St. Mungo's Hospital into a dark sidestreet. It always baffled Harry that it mattered so much where he was staying, but never how safe it was getting there. Annie took a sharp intake of breath and doubled over in pain, apparently walking was too much for her yet. Harry put one of her arms on his shoulder and supported her a bit, as they had to continue walking not to be seen, and in order to make it to Grimmauld Place by the designated time given to them. He glanced over at Annie slightly and noticed her face looking pained and her brillant baby blues glassed over.

"Are you okay?" Harry stopped them from walking.

"Yeah I'm... I'm fine lets just keep going." And they continued to limp on, checking every few seconds to make sure they weren't being followed or tracked. They finally reached their apparation point, both huffing and puffing from the walk.

"Come here, you're going to be too weak to side apparate normally."And with that Harry embraced Annie into a sort of hug, and eventually Annie put her arms around him. It could've been considered a romantic hug by passersby, but Harry and Annie weren't about to admit to it.

"Thanks," She mumbled her gratitude.

"Yup," Harry breathed her in, her hair smelt of peppermint.

"I still don't like you." Annie said a smile creeping on her face, she rested her head on Harry's shoulder.

"That's okay, I don't like you either." And with that they spun on the spot, Annie gripping tight to Harry, while he directed her to their destination, the stoop of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. What they didn't realize was the ever present clicking sound of a camera and a beetle on the hood of Harry's cloak, that jumped off as soon as they apparated.

Harry and Annie landed, quite gracefully they might add, on the stoop of Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Ugh, why do they have to make apparation so..."

"Pleasant?" Harry chuckled to himself, he had always thought the same thing. He took a deep breath, and tapped his wand on the door, hearing many clicks and a chain chinking as the door unlocked itself. They both cautiously stepped inside and stood on the doormat; that emitted dust as the laid their feet upon it. They didn't dare move any further, Moony told them that Moody had set up a series of jinxes on the house if Snape decided to make a little visit.

"Welcome to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black," He spoke whispering, not wishing to wake the beast that was Mrs. Black. Harry took it all in, the place was definitely the same

"That's apparently getting blacker by the day..." Annie spoke sarcastically, while Harry just smiled a bit on the inside remembering something Sirius spoke about Grimmauld Place. Annie reminded him alot of Sirius sometimes.

"Does something seem...weird about this place?" Annie glanced up at Harry. Maybe it was just being back here after such a long time, but he felt it too.

"You mean other than the smell." He smiled at her cheekily.

"Well I was going to blame that on you, but if blaming it on the house makes you feel better about yourself..."

"So do you wanna step off the doormat?" He asked gravely. It was true, they were both a bit warry of what they were about to face, jinx wise.

"Do we dare?"

"Just get your wand ready, just in case..."

"If you hadn't noticed, Mr. Potter, I'm not in need of one."

"Meant to ask you about that actually." Every time Harry had seen Annie perform magic it was always without a wand. Something he thought could actually be a really useful skill to have, which made him all the more curious.

"In due time, Harry, In due time." Annie spoke and took a step off the shabby doormat. Harry had heard someone else say that he just couldn't remember who. He also nervously took his first step off the carpeting.

They heard a voice, "Severus Snape?" It was Moody's voice.

Harry and Annie gave nervous glances to eachother... "Uh... no were not Snape." They felt their tongues suddenly roll back, quite uncomfortable really, and then return to normal.

They both whispered at the same time, "Is that it...?" It was about a minute after complete and utter silence that they were hit with the brunt of it all. Harry felt that all too familiar shiver down his spine and the thought that he would never be happy again. He looked out of the corner of his eye at his companion and knew exactly what memory she chose as a smile crept upon her porcelain face.

"**_Expecto Patronum!" _**Both of the young adults chanted at the exact same time. Harry's gallant stag erupting out of the tip of his wand, while a graceful yet fierce phoenix seemed to fly out of the palm of Annie's hand, the patroni working together to defeat the 'dementors' which Harry assumed to be well placed boggarts. A little odd they both thought of dementors as their worts fear...

"Bloody Bogarts." Harry whispered.

"You think it's over...?" Annie scanned the room thoroughly before Harry spoke.

"Yea I think so..." He spoke softly back.

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Why are we whispering?" They were lucky, Mrs. Black hadn't noticed them yet. The operative word being yet. Annie started making her way through the hall, until she took a page out of Tonks' book and ran smack dab into the troll leg.

"What the...?" Said Annie looking up at the grotesque troll appendedge she just rammed her forehead into, but unfortunately that thought was interupted by the screams of the merciless Mrs. Black. Harry pulled Annie up, all the while trying to shield his ears.

"Halfbloods! You filty bloodtraitor, scum of the earth, you insolent..." It continued on.

"What was that, another trap for Snape," Annie yelled, both Harry and her had covered their ears in hope of muffling the screeching cries.

"No... that," he paused, "is your grandmother." He closed the painting hangings with a flick of his wand and made his way to the sitting room up the stairs, leaving Annie looking around the room confused, with nothing to do but follow the raven haired young man up the creaking, dusty stairs. The rest of the day they spent cleaning, Harry was thankful, using magic this time. The summer of his fifth year was enough to make him never want to clean the muggle way ever again. It was after dinner and Harry found Annie alone on the top floor of the house, a room he had never been in before.

He opened the door, just enough to slip in unnoticed. He watched her gracefully stroke her fingers across the the ivory keys of a very old and battered piano, mountains of dust clouded the air. And then he heard the loudest sneeze he had ever heard in his life, coming from little Annie. He always wondered how such a big noise could come out of someone so tiny. Still not noticing him she sat down on the even dustier piano bench, but didn't bother to wipe it off in fear of another sneezing attack. She gently bent down a bit and pulled an old wooden box out from underneath the bench and pulled it onto her lap. Harry could see from where he was that it was a box of sheet music, with some other junk in it.

Annie looked into the box of stuff and saw just what she expected. Sheet music that looked like it dated back to the late 1880's and went to the mid 1980's. Somebody had updated the library of music, and then abruptly stopped from what she could tell. She flipped through the different books not really finding much. Until she came across a picture of a young man with messy black hair, glasses and hazel eyes with his arms around one of the most beautiful people Annie thought she had ever seen. The young woman had the most amazing long, shiny hair and kind warm eyes. She flipped over the 4 by 6 to find in very tiny writing "The Ballad of James and Lily" composed by Sirius Black, along with an entire song. She gently set the fragile picture that had aged quite a bit since it's hay day, on the sheet music holder and began to play. Harry made another step towards her.

It started out soft a sweet, rather innocent. And then conflicted, you could tell there was a feeling of hatred in one hand and a feeling of love in the other. The hand of hatred began to mellow and the other intesified a bit, making the two equals, they weren't competing anymore. And it ended, tragically, like someone was drowning their sorrows in the keys. And that was the Ballad of James and Lily.

For those fortunate souls who play an instrument, or have the ability to sing, you know that so much can be said with a single note. So much can be said with a song. This was the way Annie had always felt about music, and according to the back of the picture she was staring at, her father felt the same way.

"That was nice..." Harry said. Annie let out a shrill scream, and without looking at the person, petrified them. And then literally kicking herself as she turned around to see Harry there. She ran over to him (the best she could, hello still injured) and unpetrified him at once.

"Harry I'm so, so sorry! You just scared me that's all. I'm sorry..."

"That's quite alright..." Harry rubbed the back of his head as Annie helped him up.

"I guess I'm a bit skiddish after what happened, sorry."

"Don't apologize," Annie still looked like she felt guilty, so Harry added, "Really it's fine. Now what was that you were playing?"

"Oh! Right," She ran over to the piano like a giddy child, "Well I just found it actually, in the lovely rotting box here." She threw a clearly grossed out look at the box. "According to this, it was written by my dad."

"Remus?" Harry looked at her quizically, he didn't know Remus to be a musician.

"No, Sirius, see." She pointed to the composers name. Harry was a bit speechless, sure he didn't know Sirius that long, but he thought he would've known at least this. And then he glanced at the title and his heart sank...

"It's actually quite good..." She started to ramble on about tempo or something and realized Harry looked like someone just ran over his puppy dog, "What's wrong."

"Nothing it's just my mom and dad," It took a second for it to click with Annie.

"So you're parents are Lily and James."

Harry nodded solemnly. She turned the pic over, "You look quite a bit like your father."

"Thanks. Could you do me a favor."

"Anything," She spoke earnestly.

"You wouldn't mind playing it again." She smiled at him and began to play. For some reason this song, made Harry feel closer to his parents. Like he was getting a chance to know them.

"And I guess that's how it ends." She smiled at Harry who looked a little distant.

"Harry...? Harry? Harry!" He looked up at her and then he looked at his shoes, he looked up at her again and looked at his shoes. And then he began the male art that is pacing. What is it about guys and pacing? Annie leaned her head to the side in confusion and watched the pacing continue on and on and on.

"Well apparently he's gone mad. Harry do I need to call the men with the butterfly nets to chase you down the street. Or maybe I could just hit you over the head with my shoe, of course that wouldn't be very effective because I'm not wearing shoes, I guess maybe I could..." But the pacing stopped. He looked torn, like he was fighting a war in his head or something.

"Annie..."

"Yes..."

He began to move closer to her, slowly but steadily. A day ago they weren't even speaking to eachother... and now... He looked like he was going to kiss her but... kissed her on the cheek instead.

"Goodnight," He huried out of the room as quickly as possible. "Oh grow a pair man!" Harry thought to himself as he took off his shirt and put on a pair of grey pajama pants.

"That stupid little spineless git!" Annie murmured in her head as she turned the shower off and wrapped her dripping self in a towel, put on a purple silk nightie and headed into her very dark, almost creepy room. As soon as she got into her bed, someone turned the wall candlelobras on. She shot out of bed, only to be met by a shirtless Harry, kissing her.

She opened her mouth a bit in surprise allowing Harry's tongue to meet hers. He had one hand roaming her back, while the other cupped the back of her head. She ran her hands through his already ruffled hair. What was it about that hair that was so easy to run your fingers through? It wasn't a sweet kiss filled with fluff. It was one filled with passion, almost like a war between the two of them. After what might've been hours he finally broke the kiss and uttered one word, and one word only.

"Goodnight!" and he left the room.

"I still don't like you," She called from her room loud enough so he could hear her in his.

"That's okay, I don't like you either!"

And that would be the true ballad of Harry and Annie.

Little did they know, tomorrow they would wake up to find something very interesting in the prophet the next day.

_Author's Note: Yes I took a line from Greys' (Mer and Dylan's from the bomb epi, who else like them as a couple? I thought he could've been like McYummy or McBomby or something) It just fits Annie and Harry so well._

_Special Thanks to:_

_Anyone who had put this story on their favs or alerts_

_mrspatrickdempsey and my bud Honor for their continued support_


	11. I Guess We're Us

Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter, not JK. I do, I do(pauses and hangshead) No I dont...

-Maybe this world is another planet's hell.- Aldous Huxley

Chapter 11: I Guess We're Us

Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley all spit out their orange juice that morning, at the exact same time (granted, in separate countries) whilst reading the 'Breaking News' in the day's Daily Prophet.

**_Harry Potter's Mystery Girl:_**

_Written by Special Correspondent Rita Skeeter_

_Hot off the presses Witches and Wizards of London, Harry Potter may have found himself a new girl to fancy. (Potter, age 17, is thought to many in our world as the great Saviour from He-who-must-not-be-named) This reporter finds herself walking down a dark alley, as Mr. Potter saunters with our Mystery Girl, who appears to be limping in pain, this reporter wonders,is this an injury acquired in battle perhaps? As seen in the detailed photo below, we see Mr. Potter and the attractive young woman (who in this reporters opinion, is a bit of a tease,) show a public display of affection in the form of a romantic hug before apparating away. But before they left, Special Correspondent Rita Skeeter was able to pick delicate pieces of their conversation, which can be found on pg. 6_

_So who is the girl who has stolen everyone's favorite boy's heart? After much digging, this reporter was able to uncover many pieces to the mysterious girl's past! With much persuasion from St. Mungo's staff, who originally would not release any information on said girl who was classified as a somewhat top seceret patient, I was able to unwravel the lovebird's condition and hidden name. Miss Anne Elyse Black, age 16, birthdate January 23, 1981, was submitted to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries during the early hours of November 15th, suffering from a stab wound to the upper abdomen. A normally fatal injury, proved not on the girl, who according to her Healer, "Left the hospital the next day with slight discomfort. What's is highly unusual is the amount of healing time the young miss appeared to need, a day is hardly enough to heal such a fatal wound." When asked if Potter was among her visitors in her bedridden state, The Healer responded with, "Mr. Potter seemed quite shaken when the young lady was admitted, and did not stop pacing and acting irrationally until said girl was pronounced safe and sound."_

_Known as a bit of a ladies man within the walls of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry, our young giggilo in the making has often used his fame of conquering He-who-must-not-be-named to score with young witches. I went into the hallow halls of said school and found some interesting details. Parvati Patil accounts that, "No one knew the two were a couple until they had a blow out fight in the Gryffindor Common Room about Harry finding Annie kissing Dean Thomas. It got quite violent when she levitated him to the ceiling wandless. Quite scary actually." Mr. Thomas was unavailible for comment at the time. So with Mr. Potter being the jealous man-whore (linked to several other Gryffindor ladies, Pansy Parkinson tells) and the mysterious and "scary" Miss Black being a bit of a floozy hussy, will this realtionship last or end in another heartbreak for our young but troubled Boy-Who-Lived?_

_So this reporter finds herself asking, what is Mr. Potter's newest love interest hiding? Is she connected to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, and if so why has she been kept a secret for so long. Who is her father? The late Regulus Black, or the Notorious Mass Murderer, Escaped Convict, and Deceased Sirius Black? What happened to Hermione Jean Granger (age 17) and Ginevra Weasley (age 16), Harry Potter's other reported starcrossed lovers? This Reporter thinks only time will tell._

Annie walked into the kitchen, this was going to be an awkward morning, Harry thought to himself. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a vneck sweater with her curly hair tied half up.

She looked at Harry, then at her shoes, then at Harry again... "Morning," she spoke sheepishly. She really didn't know how to react to what had happened last night. It was a great, no not great, amazing kiss; and she liked Harry alot, there was just so much water under the bridge.

"Uh...you haven't you know seen the paper this morning yet have you?" Harry slid the paper behind his back.

"No, why?" She made a plate of eggs and bacon for herself and sat across from Harry at the old oak table.

"No reason," Harry said and he went back to eating his eggs.

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"What are you hiding?" Annie peered around him, trying to see why he had one arm behind his back.

"Nothing, honest."

"Has anyone ever told you, you're a terrible liar?"

"Yes, something about being too pure of heart." He smiled cheekily, giving Annie ample time to get the newspaper he was clinging to. "Hey give it back! Trust me you do not want to..." But it was already too late. The smile slowly but surely left her face. Her eyebrows lifted and her shockingly cerulean eyes widened.

"I'm guessing you just read the floozy part..." Harry waited anxiously for her to finish, preparing himself for some cursing, some yelling, or some hexes, or all three. But was surprised (the biggest understatement of the year, more like terrified) at a reaction he definitely was not expecting.

She started, laughing, lauging hysterically. Kind of scary actually.

"Annie...? Are you, um.. handling this...?"

"Ha-sorry-ha-I'm just imagining," There was a long laughing interlude, "Moony's face...-ha-when-he-ha-reads-this!" At this point, Harry just followed suit and also started uncontrollably laughing to the point where they were both on the floor. At the exact moment they looked into eachother's eyes, for what could've been eternity.

"Right, uh cleaning, I have to um clean, because cleaning is...well cleaning." Annie stood up and left to tackle the Black Family Library.

"Right."

They spent the rest of their very long day cleaning and avoiding eachother.

Later that night at about 11:59:

Annie sighed and rolled onto her back, she had been lying in bed for over an hour and had the unnerving feeling that she was being watched. Then she heard a noise that confirmed her fears, someone was sniggering.

She carefully got up, not making a sound and went to turn the oil lamp on and saw no one in her room. She slowly moved into the hall, hearing a "creeeeeek..." beneath her feet, damn that lose floorboard. She still couldn't see anyone but wasn't stupid enough to go face whatever it was by herself. So what's a girl to do?

"Harry...Harry...Harry!" She shook him and shook him but no answer, "Potter!"

"What, what!?" Harry leant over to his bedside table and turned on his oil lamp. "Sorry, hey what's wrong."

"There's something... in my room."

"Blue, that's ridiculous there's nothing in your room..." Harry said calmly and sat up in his bed, and Annie couldn't help but notice he was shirtless again. 'Oh so he's back to calling me blue again is he?' she thought to herself but couldn't get too mad due to the fact she was distracted by the six pack in front of her.

"I heard... something chuckling..." Annie looked a little ashamed at her lack of explanation.

"It's probably just the house creaking or a ghoul or something, just don't think about it and you'll be able to sleep."

"Fine," Annie muttered under her breath and marched back to her room. She got down inbetween her sheets again, her nice cold sheets. Man this house is cold, she thought to herself. She closed her eyes, hey this wasn't so hard, she was already starting to get sleepy. Her eyes burst open, she heard it again. That sinister, creepy sound, and jumped out of bed.

Next thing Harry knew, he felt two small warm hands take a hold of his and literally pull him out of bed. When he opened his eyes he was already halfway through the hall, "So you say you heard chuckling?" He put on an analitical tone as she dragged him to her room. "Hey I'm coming, you don't have to pull so hard." She turned on the lights with a flick of her hand,

"You really need to teach me how to do that," Harry said to Annie as she just shook her head.

"Just help me find creepy sniggering thing please?" And then it clicked with Harry, Annie was using the same room Ron and him had used two summer's ago.

"Phineaus!!!" Harry rushed over to the portrait and started poking it, 'How do you actually summon a portrait?' he thought wracking his brain for an answer.

"What are you doing?" Annie walked over to Harry who was banging on a plan wall covering.

"Summoning the stupid portrait... PHINEAUS!"

"Sure summoned something, ow headache."

"You bellowed Mr. Potter,"

"Ah! Oh hello," Annie waved at the portrait while Harry looked at it with distaste.

"Phineaus, did you try to scare Annie?"

"Well..."

"Phineaus!"

"Well yes, it gets quite boring and such as a portrait boy.You should really consider lowering your tone."

"Do it again and..." He eyed Annie, "Do it again and? How do I threaten a portrait?" Harry whispered to her.

"Do it again and we'll get Dumbledore's portrait to go to the ghetto on your painted ass!" She folded her arms in content, and Harry followed suit. With a withering stare from Harry and Annie starting to poke the painting, Phineaus left in a huff.

"Nice look," Annie spoke referring to his 'withering stare'

"Oh I can wither with the best of them," She laughed, making her nose crinkle and those perfect eyes, the eyes he got lost in, like little oceans. And in that moment, he realized, she was perfect. No she wasn't a six foot tall supermodel, (but then again neither was he), she was stubborn, she was difficult, she talked in circles that he'd bet she couldn't even understand, but she was sweet, and she was kind; to him, she was perfect.

"Well thanks, you know for the thing, with the thing, and the stare. You know I'm rambling again aren't I, I mean really I wish someone would just tell me to shut up!"

"Annie," He smiled to himself

"Yes?"

"Shutup..."

"Thank you, well it's late, and we have to well, I don't know what we're actually supposed to do while we're here," Annie started to talk in those circles again, 'Well I could think of something we could do,' Harry thought to himself only to be interuppted by more rambles, "Thank you again for saving me from another one of my painted relatives...You're not leaving..." she paused, "You're not leaving?..." She paused again and it hit her..."Oh, you're not leaving..." Each time she said with a different infliction in her voice.

"No, I'm not leaving."

She gazed into those emerald eyes, the ones that made her weak in the knees with just a glance... and then she knew. He was perfect, he was her knight in shining armor, who she ran to when she was afraid, her Mcsomething, the one who held her hand without being asked. He was perfect.

"Annie, I want to kiss you... and then I want to ask you something."

"Okay." She said unsure. This wasn't just a kiss though. It was something so much more. She could feel it down in her toes.

"Now for that question..." Annie slowly broke away from the kiss.

"When I look at you, I still get nervous. When you start talking my palms sweat, when we lock eyes I feel like I'm floating in this undescribable state. When you kiss me, my heart stops beating. And when you yell at me, I can't help but smile..."

"Potter, hate to break it to you, but none of those are questions..." She said in an innocent voice.

"What I want to know, what I'd like to know... is do you feel the same?" In her mind she could only answer that one way. She kissed him, it was simple, it was sweet. But soon, simple and sweet made it's way to a bed. And soon clothes were strewn on the floor, and crys of ecstasy rang through the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black.All that tension they had had for months just wilted away, as they finally expressed, that they really loved eachother.

Annie and Harry lie awake in bed, holding each other as close as they could, never to lose one another again.

"So I guess we're us again?"Annie asked while stroking part of Harry's chest

"I guess we're us."

"That still doesn't make me like you."

"Oh on the contrary, that makes me like you alot more." And with that, they went to sleep.

Maybe Rita was right, she was a floozy and he was a man-, but they were okay with that.

Author's Note: Finally! Finally! Finally! Whhhoooo! Sorry I've been waiting for this for a while. I'm so excited, yes ladies and gentleman, Harry and Annie are officially back together. yea! Not my favorite chapter, but it'll do. I hope you enjoyed, don't forget to hit that tiny button and tell me what you think. Sorry for the lack of 'dirty details' but I'm trying to keep my fic rating low.

Next Chapter Plot Preview: Annie and Harry get a midnight visit from Hermione and Ron

Horcrux Plans are finally made

And a leader is chosen

Dialogue Preview: "So I guess now's not the time for a rousing chorus of "I told you so I told you so," Annie spoke quietly as Harry hurried out of bed to face the noise downstairs. "Right, not a good time for sarcasm, got it." They both grabbed their wands and left the room.

Special Thanks as always to:

My Bud Honor for reading everything before I put it up.

mrspatrickdempsey, and ReAdErWrItErWhAtEvEr for your reviews

and anyone who had put this fic on their favs or alerts list, it means the world to me.


	12. Bring them cupcakes

**Disclaimer: (sings) If I had a million dollars, if I had a million dollars I'd buy Harry Potter. But until then it belongs to JK (I think I'd need more than an million as well)**

-Oui with the poodles already- Lorelai Gilmore

Chapter 12: Maybe We Should Bring them Cupcakes...

Annie and Harry woke up, with the sun streaming on their face and a tap...tap...tap on the window.

"Ughhhhhh..." Harry groned as he rolled over onto his back, hiding his head with a pillow from the creeping sunlight that was so desperately trying to wake him up.

"That's a really attractive noise Harry, really." Annie said with a smirk as she wrapped a sheet around herself and walked to the window to let in the morning disturbance. But her smile fell as she read the headline of this morning's paper and saying one word, "Frick."

**Breaking News: Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimegour Found Dead in London Home**

**Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimegour, successor of notorious ex-Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge; was found dead in his home located in London early this morning. It is suspected, since no struggle was visible that Mister Scrimegour's death was due to the killing curse... (cont. on page3)**

The next Headline read:

_Professor Severus Snape Made Headmaster of Hogwarts..._

And finally:

**Thicknesse Replaces Scrimegour as Minister of Magic**

"Oui...and the hits just keep on coming." Annie just stood there frozen...this wasn't good.

Harry and Annie sat across from eachother at the breakfast table in complete silence. That morning's Daily Prophet, just snapped them out of this fantasy they were living, bringing them back to the life and hard facts of the world outside. They were wasting time, valueble time as Harry saw it. They needed a new plan, they needed to find the horcruxes, because all the facts added up to Voldemort having complete control of the Ministry of Magic.

Annie started hitting her head on the table, "This is not how I like to start my mornings!" She moaned and took a sip of tea.

"Which is really a shame because your really putting a dampening affect on my joy." Annie gave him a look that said clearly I-will-blast-you-into-flames, and he got the point.

"So...?" Annie asked as more of a question than anything.

"So basically Tom has complete and total control of the wizarding world, if he is as I suspect, imperiusing a few select ministry workers."

"Happy sunshine day huh?"

"Yup Happy, happy joy joy." He got up, kissed Annie on the cheek and washed his dishes in the sink.

"Oh and it's just about to get happier," Annie got up and walked through the adjacent parlor door and peered around the curtains. "We have deatheaters outside our door." Across the street, four men in black cloaks could be barely seen through the eery and unusal fog. They kind of stuck out like sore thumbs on the run down street, they were in a sea of muggles yet wearing wizarding robes.

"Nice way to blend in guys."

* * *

'This house is just to damn quiet.' Annie thought to herself. She couldn't sleep knowing someone was watching her. Well they weren't watching her persay but they were still watching. It was too creepy for her. Too 'I wear my sunglasses at night' for her tastes. And this house, it was just, utterly depressing. She could tell it was affecting Harry as well. He would go into a room and just get this look of sorrow on his face. Of course they had to stay in the place with the most haunting memories for Harry, just their luck. 

"Maybe we should bring them cupcakes," She walked in the darkness to the small window in Harry's room, and peered around the curtain. Harry gave her a look that could only be taken as 'Do you have a death wish?' "What? They've got to be hungry out there, I mean it's been hours. Note to self, if I ever join the dark side, bring snacks."

"Okay... but only if their mutant cupcakes," Harry said putting his head back on the pillow and letting sleep overtake his tired body. Until he was rudely awakened by,

"Oh crappers, their walking towards the house...wait no they aren't, that fog really doesn't help."

"Annie, go to sleep!"

"Fine, I'm coming, I'm coming." She slipped under those cold sheets, only to be met by a warm Harry who protectively put his arm around her.

"Creeeeeeeeeek..." Harry and Annie's eyes darted open at the exact same time.

"What was that?"

"Probably just, you know, the stairs creaking or something, it'll be uh...fine." He said whilst trying to convince himself his statement was true.

"Did anyone ever tell you you're a terrible liar?"

"Actually just the other day, a beautiful girl told me so."

"Hm... do tell." Harry kissed her kneck hand moved his hand down her thigh. But that thought was interupted by Moody's voice saying "_Severus Snape_?"

Annie and Harry both jumped out of bed at the same time, Harry grabbing his wand and glasses from the nightstand. They both made their way for the door, and slowly began descending the stairs back to back.

"So I guess now's not good time to sing a rousing verse of 'I told ya so, I told ya so?'"Annie spoke in a sing-song whisper. They were halfway down the stairs before they could see any sign of someone who had broken in.

"Okay" Harry whispered so it was barely audible..."On three we fire?" But he couldn't help but smile moments later.

"Ow that was my foot." A voice rang through the hall of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Filth, (as Annie had taken to calling it.)

"Well I can't see you're foot, so how am I supposed to, OW! Did you just slap me? You just slapped me!"

"Is that who I think it is?" Annie whispered to Harry, "Either it's Ron and Hermione or the Oscar and Felix of Deatheaters."

"You don't think their asleep already do you?" A worried female's voice echoed through the hall.

"I would hope not, I'd hope they'd be doing something a little bit more fun throughout their isolation. Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Honestly Ronald, you are such a pig."

"Yeah, that's Ron and Hermione,"Harry smiled and they both began to make their way way down the stairs as fast as they could, but stopped when they heard this.

"I really have no idea as to why I started dating you." Pins could've dropped, jaws we're hanging, the lambs stopped screaming, the ocean's had stilled as what everyone was waiting for had finally happened. And as Annie would like to say, and the hits just keep on coming...

"Well sleeping with me may have had something to do with it." Ron said as Hermione could just hear the smirk in his voice.

Harry and Annie's faces just went white, they were hearing way more than they cared to know about well, Ron and Mione and the horizontal mamba.

"Yes and you haven't let me forget that fact since." Harry and Annie finally came to the last step.

"Everyone raise their hands who has heard way to much about Ron and Hermione's sex life." Harry smiled mischieviously as he and Annie raised their hands in mock-agreement.

"Oh, Harry, Annie..."

"Hermione I can feel you blushing all the way from here, now make yourselves visible please." Hermione and Ron undid their Disillusion charms. Hermione looked as embarrased as she felt. Poor girl, while Ron just looked at Harry and Annie sideways, Harry was in his boxers and his hair was ruffled and Annie was wearing her nightie.

"Did we interupt sex?" Ron still looked at them sideways with a small smirk on his face.

"No," Annie said at the exact same time Harry said, "Yes."

"I'm going to go make tea," Annie walked away from the reunion of the Golden Trio.

* * *

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were all huddled in the damp and dark sitting room (after Harry and Annie got dressed of course) 

"How's Auntie Muriel's?" Harry said with a teasing grin on his face knowing the hell Ron must be going through. Ron paused for a moment, and it looked like he was reliving some disturbing memories by the look on his face and finally said, "Ugh..."

"Well with an answer like that..."

"I don't mean to be mean or anything, or to not be appreciative of their taking me in, but Tonks and Lupin, guess what, they're bloody boring!" Hermione stated in a tone that was extremely uncharacteristic of her.

"Hermione, language please," Ron scolded her as Harry looked at the two in amazement.

"I know I'm sorry."

"Who are you people?" Harry asked a little stunned.

"Sorry, do you see what boredom does to me!?" Harry couldn't help but laugh at Hermione,

"What it's not funny, but that's not the reason we came. We're assuming you saw this morning's paper?"

"Yes and I know what you guys are thinking, we're wasting time." The room suddenly had an undescribible tension put upon it, that weighed down the spirits of anyone in it. "Dumbledore left us a job to do and we're failing miserably."

"Mate, you can't fail if you haven't tried. Wait since when am I the words of wisdom. She's brainwashing me I tell you! Brainwashing!"

"Shh.. Ron we'll get you out of Muriel's in no time." Hermione rubbed his back soothingly.

"It wasn't Muriel I was talking about. OW!"

"Harry, we need to act before it's too late."

"Basically, before he kills me."

"Well in not so many words yes."

"We can't just, pick up and leave everyone can we? I mean we're supposed to be helping them train, we're supposed to be doing...something."

"That was actually what we wanted to talk to you about. You see, " Ron started.

"If the Order isn't going to recruit us, well quite frankly I dont' think they were ever going to recruit us. But if they aren't going to recruit us, maybe we should be doing some recruiting of our own."

"What do you mean exactly?" Harry thought she was being a bit cryptic.

"We...we..."

"We want to form and Order...or more like an...Army." Ron finally blurted it out.

"You want to form a what?"

"An army Harry..."

"As in an army with weapons, decoys, guerrillia attacks, squadrons." It was slightly insane, but it wasn't a bad idea.

"Only with wizards, wands, potions, creatures, and brooms." Hermione jotted off the list she had been forming in her head during her days of complete and total boredom.

"Face it Harry, You-know-who has massive amounts of people under his command. Not to mention non-humans aswell. Do you really think you can take him on all by yourself?" Hermione and Ron gave Harry looks of understanding as he sorted it all out in his head. It was true, Voldemort had at least a hundred deatheaters working for him not to mention the majority of the Werewolf community and people at the Ministry. It was also true that the three of them plus a few other's definitely didn't even out the odds. He didn't like the idea of putting more people than necessary in danger... But this was exactly what the Order had been attempting to do for years...

"Alright. You're right..."

Hermione and Ron smiled as Harry asked his next question,

"But if we're off finding Horcruxes, who's in charge of this army thing?"

"Tea's ready," Annie walked into the sitting room to find three identical smiling faces staring back at her. "You people scare me."

* * *

Author's Note: I must say, this is my favorite chapter so far. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

Mucho Thanks to:

My Bud Honor

mrspatrickdempsey, Ronin, and ReAdErWrItErWhAtEvEr for your reviews

and anyone who has put this fic on their favs or alerts.


	13. Plural Equals Singular

Disclaimer: We've been over this before! No I don't own Harry Potter or any of it's original characters. I do however own Annie. Lyrics in this chapter are from the song Falling or Flying by Grace Potter. She owns them and the song, not me.

Chapter 13: Plural Equals Singular

(Are we Falling or Flying?)

_**Annie Voice Over**_: After many night's of little sleep and much deliberation, I have decided that life sucks. And not in the generic, I'm a teenager so my life inevetibly sucks, or the angsty 'I hate the world' sucks. What I'm talking about is a more broad spectrum of the suckage. World Hunger, Aids, Death, the fact that my left foot is slightly bigger than the right. Eh ha, that was a joke people, in case you couldn't tell. But I guess, what I'm trying to say is, maybe one day we'll all realize that life bites, and we'll do something about it.

_We got lost again_

"No...no,"

"Why not?"

"Why not?" She laughed as though it was obvious, "Why not? Oh I don't know, maybe it's the fact that I'm not qualified! Or the fact that I'm a teenager, well okay almost adult, and command zero respect! Or maybe...well I don't know... I just, ughhh! Stop laughing at me!" The trio laughed at the fact she was trying as hard as she could to come up with a reason not to accept their offer. "Now I'm not disagreeing with you all, it's a great idea, really it is. And I'm, well what's the word, honored and humbled that you three asked me what you asked me. But here's the thing, I don't want to be an Order leader!"

_drove to the end of the road_

"Give me one, good, solid reason why not..." Hermione said fairly.

"I...uh...I..." Annie stopped pacing and looked all three of them square in the eye. It wasn't a joke, it wasn't a lie.

"Annie, I trust you." Harry spoke, his voice unwavering of any doubt, of any fear. He spoke with conviction. And then she knew.

_To think, you have to be sure. I'll be there waiting, when your sure, I'll be waiting. **I'll help you in any way I can to beat him, but until you're ready to trust me**, we're just friends._

_and in the 23rd light_

This was her job, the one thing that was being asked of her. And she was just going to say no? She was going to sit on the side lines and watch it all happen. No, Annie Black, wasn't that kind of person. She was strong, intelligent, a little crazy, but she was a powerful witch, and the only haven in centuries. Harry saw these qualities in her when she couldn't see them herself.

"Alright, I'll do it. For you. On one condition." She held up her finger as Harry was about to say something, "I don't want to know how dangerous, whatever Dumbledore left for you to do, I don't want to know. Because I can't focus on what I have to do, if I know that you're out there somewhere hurting. Okay?" She gave Harry's hand a little squeeze.

_things aint bad but things aint right_

_are we falling or flying?_

_are we falling or flying?_

_are we living or dying?_

"Okay," Harry smiled back at her and she sat down on the arm of his chair.

"So let me get this straight. We're talking about an entire wizarding revolution? Against Voldemort, against the Ministry, against the Order. Essentially, an entirely different side to the war?"

"Basically. We'll start small. I don't know if this is what Ron and Mione were thinking but, I would personally like to get Neville, Luna, Ginny, and Fred, George in this to start. Nothing too big, yet a decent foundation to grow upon. Then in a few months time, or when you feel necessary, you start recruiting. Not only kids, but adults who can give advice."

"You know, it may not be bad to have a few international contingents. Even though England may be the worst affected by this contention, I would have to guess it would be hitting close to home for the magical communities in other countries." Annie paused for a second allowing Harry to speak.

"You mean, Krum and Fleur?" He had never seen this side of Annie before, almost diplomatic.

"Yes, among others. Different magical communities have different ways of executing charms, spells, potions. Differing philosphies could give you an advantage. I know how purebloods think, it's all about pride and predjudice, if you excuse the pun. Voldie and his Deatheaters, will think their way's the best way. They have their heads too far up their asses to see that there's two ways to skin the cat."

_I guess we'll never know_

_Thing's ain't good but they aint boring_

"You practiced that didn't you?" Harry whispered referring to her speech. It was the first time he had heard Annie put together a coherent thought without rambling.

"I feel like I rushed it..."

"No it was good, although, you kinda ruined it with the heads up the asses thing."

"Well, a little color never hurt anyone."

"Yeah well tell Snape that."

"Oi, you two stop whispering sweet whatevers in each others ears..." Ron said cheekily.

"Jealous?" Annie said jokingly. "Nonetheless, I'm in. So tell me something, how did you two manage to escape Muriel and Mooney? And at the exact same time? I'm sensing some lying, some trickery."

"It was pure coincidence actually, Ron came on a broom, and I apparated."

They talked a bit more about their lives of isolation, Hermione happened to mention Tonks and Remus were acting differently lately. Tonks was completely and totally radiant, happy, and content (at least as much as you could be during a war) while Remus, soft and friendly Remus, had turned a bit cold, bitter, and snappish. Annie, hoped it was just stress and in time it would pass. But something irked her, something didn't feel right.

Before Ron and Hermione left, Hermione pulled Annie aside.

"Listen, I know you like books, so I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" Hermione wore a grave expression on her face.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Well it has to do with this task Dumbledore gave Harry, I was hoping you wouldn't mind searching the Black library for a certain subject."

"Okay, but why the Black Library?"

_Are we falling or flying _

_are we living or dying_

"This, well subject, it's dark, it's revolting and dispicable. And seeing as we are where we are..."

Annie looked around the Black house, it certainly screamed dark, revolting, and dispicable. "Alright, what are we looking for?"

"You probably haven't heard of them, but Horcruxes."

Annie had briefly heard of the subject, she just couldn't remember where..."You mean a Horcrux?" She had never heard of multiple Horcruxes.

"No Annie, unfortunately I mean Horcruxes. Plural."

"Holy mother of..."

_I guess we'll never know_

_taught us to do what were told_

* * *

"Harry sweetie, you asleep?" Annie was facing towards her boyfriend, and he gave a loud snorting snore, "I'll take that as a yes. Listen, I know you're asleep and you won't hear any of this, but maybe that's the point. I love you, and not in that corny, Valentines Day, Cupid with the diaper and arrow thing. And may I say what's with that? The Diaper, not exactly a chick magnet there bud." Harry heard the end of this and was about to move when he heard, "But, I love you, and that scares me. But what terrifies me even more than love itself is the fact that I may lose you some day. And I know that's selfish, thinking about myself and all. You make me feel, special, and not in a stop eating the paste special, but a beautiful kind of special. And I don't want to take that for granted anymore. You know how in every story, there's the guy who fights danger and the guy who sees danger and runs away? I just wish you could be both. And I know that's not fair, you're the guy who fights back. I just wish somedays it didn't have to be you. I love you. Be safe, be strong, and have hope." 

_Cause my friend this to shall pass_

_So play every show like it's your last_

**_

* * *

__Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I certainly loved writing it. It's a bit short, so expect an update in a day or two's time. _**

_**Preview for next chapter:**_

_**Christmas**_

_**Someone leaves**_

_**While someone comes**_

_**Judy Garland (figure it out, Judy Garland and Christmas put together equals?)**_

**_A plan to escape... (vague clues I know, sorry)_**

_Thanks to mrspatrickdempsey for her review_

_The Motley Collection for adding me to their c2_

_My bud Honor_

_and any member who has put this on their favs or alerts and anyone I have forgotten to mention._


	14. Author's Note

Author's Note: I am so so sorry! I told you guys I would have a chapter out soon, but with the importance of this chapter (you'll see, alot goes down) I thought it deserved to be way longer than any normal chapter. It'll be about 11,000 words when it's done...

I should have it done within the next few days, but if not, please stick with me, it will be out very very soon. I also want to tell you that some big plot changes are coming up soon, so updates may take a little longer to write...

There will be a new friendship, the end of a relationship, and the start of a new one...


	15. Meet me in St Louis

Author's Note: Originally this was going to be one huge chapter, but I've cut it into two. I will have the other half up tomorrow. The entire thing ended up being around 15,000 words so I cut it into two pieces, otherwise it's too overwhelming... Plus this has something big happen that's alot to take in...

Disclaimer: We've been over this before! No I don't own Harry Potter or any of it's original characters. I do however own Annie. Lyrics to the songs Signal fire by Snow Patrol , Nothing better to do by Leann Rhimes belong to their respective owners, writers, and artists, not me.

_Chapter 14: Meet me in St. Louis_

**The Roast of Lucius Malfoy...**

_"Tell me Lucius, where are Potter and that insipid girl?" The Dark Lord spoke from his wingback chair in front of a formerly blazing fire, gazing at the embers._

_"My Lord, Potter hasn't been seen or heard from since November."_

_"I believe I was already aware of that Lucius, now let me ask this again, where is he?"_

_"Were not sure my Lord," Lucius Malfoy bit his tongue in preparation from the coming curse he was about to endure._

_"Not sure, Crucio!" The manical laugh filled room, dapening every soul left within it. "Bella, maybe you could be of more help, than our friend here."_

_"Yes my Lord, we've stationed ourselves outside of Grimmauld Place, the blood traitors Weasley's home, outside of any place he could be. If he's out there, he's not showing himself and I doubt little baby Potter will."_

_"That is not your call to make Bella. Potter, won't be able to sit and do nothing, eventually he will show himself, and when he does, I will be ready."_

**Annie Black is Insipid and Insane** _(Early December)_

"Blahh..." Annie had looked through at least one hundred books cover to cover in search of anything whatsoever on the morose topic of Horcruxes. Ninety nine of those one hundred books made her gag, but hey it gave her something to do while Harry attempted to make the place more 'homey' as Annie called it, by ridding the place of the dark, dreary, and depressing, Slytherin influenced crap. They had managed to transfigure the dark and dusty wallpaper in the entry way, to a wall of freshly painted butter cream, and cleaned the chandelier with a couple good "Scourgify's" and it had turned out to be actually quite pretty with it's crystal and emerald green jewels giving the foyer a nice glow.

The kitchen was turned a nice deep red, and the rustic wooden table was given a nice polishing. It almost looked brand new, pardon the knife mark that Fred or was it George made two years ago. But honestly, it was nice to have little reminders of the few good memories made at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. The pothanger, faucet fixtures, and wall sconces had also been scrubbed down to reveal their original pewter selves.

Harry dug into the attic and was able to find all the old christmas decorations from Christmas pasts and he and Annie participated in the Sirius Black Christmas Ritual of putting Santa hats and beards on the heads of the house elves that hung on the stairway wall. They put the Christmas Tree in a corner of the dining area, and lit it with real fairies and topped it with the ugliest angel the pair had ever seen. If you titled your head one way it kind of resembled Snape, without the obvious...hygiene issues.

While the downstairs was easy, the pair didn't have as much success on some of the upstairs rooms. Sirius' old room, Regulus' room, the sitting room adorned with the famous Black Family Tree, and the library were all left untouched.

"Harry?" Annie pulled out a thick, worn, ancient leather book titled _The Most Noble And Ancient House of Black_.

Harry walked in and casually leaned in on the doorframe, "Yeah,"

"Must you lean like that?" She said, a smile creeping up her face.

"Like what?" he said leaning even more,

"You know, the lean," Harry looked at her completely perplexed, she huffed before saying, "You look too cute when you lean like that, it's distracting…"

"Well in that case, I think I may just stay right here," He grinned at her so cheekily he could've rivaled a young James Potter.

Annie sighed, "Fine, but when Hermione asks me why I didn't get what she asked for done, I'll just blame you." Annie flipped through the pages of the leather book she had picked of the shelf, and stopped dead in her tracks and just started laughing hysterically.

"Okay I think we need to get you out of this house, you're going insane, alright, you were already insane but…." Harry had to duck as various books came plummeting towards his head.

"Yes, getting out of this house would be nice, how dare you, I am not that crazy, and I was laughing at the fact that I didn't think my family could be any more deranged, and then I read this." Annie passed him the book, pointed to a certain page.

_**Decrees of Arranged Matrimony for the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black 1887-1997**_

The page went on to list some of the pureblooded families Harry had heard of, he saw the Malfoys, the Lestranges, the Weasleys, and even some Potters.

"That's……just……."

"Sick? Insane? A little disgusting?"

"Someone took the time to write out a century of arranged marriages…." Harry shook his head.

They put the book down, but failed to look at the arranged marriage for 1997, one year from now

"Weird, hm?" Harry took her hand and pulled her up, with surprisingly little effort.

"Thanks, and...I have a feeling today is going to be a weird day. So that offer about getting out of the house…. Can I still take you up on it?"

* * *

"May I ask you, how is this not attracting attention?" Annie looked at herself in the mirror, Harry had given her a billowy black robe, and asked her to pull the hood up. It did have the desired affect, she was completely, and totally hidden. "We look like Deatheaters, without the masks. People are going to scream run and flee and they'll um..run and uh... flee ." 

"I'm guessing you haven't been to Diagon Alley in a while?" He looked at Annie for confimation as she gave him a curt nod, "Well, this is kind of how everyone dresses there now that the war's started and all. No one really wants to be seen well, with each other."

"You know that's just silly, why should we all run in fear...?"

"Because there's a madman who wants to kill us all,"

"You know that is mean, and unkind, and completely...true. We could at least where colorful robes."

"So we could be what? Rainbow Deatheaters?" Harry said as he pulled his hood up, and Annie stuffed something in the inside pocket of hers, that looked like two envelopes.

"Touche boyfriend, Touche. Let's go."

* * *

**Hermione Granger is Waiting**

Hermione Granger was a smart girl. Everyone knew it. She wasn't known for her beauty, although she was beautiful, she was known for her wits. So why couldn't the brightest witch in a century find one thing on Horcruxes, anywhere!? Bland, she felt bland, she needed a sign, something to tell her to trudge on. Something to give her a bit of freakin hope.

And for the first time in her short life, she, Hermione Jean Granger, needed a break from books. It was the apocolypse, that she was sure of. Armagedon was about to occur, any moment now...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

Still waiting...

Feeling my shoes slowly going out of style, but still waiting.

Maybe it wasn't going to happen, maybe this all was just a big mista...

"CRASH!" Hermione leaped for her wand and stood her ground, waiting, just waiting for something to pounce, to attack.

"Pig?" Hermione opened the window to the small but pretty bedroom she was residing in while at The Tonks Family Cottage. The not so young owl, that still acted like it, fluttered around the room proudly, as Hermione attempted to untie the parcel. It appeared to be a lumpy, squishy item wrapped in brown paper and a string. She carefully lifted back the paper to reveal a worn black hooded robe.

'Hm... do the Deatheater's want mudblood's to join them now? Or am I merely a torture device to them?' Hermione thought as she picked up the cloak and a letter fell out.

_Mia,_

_Meet Blue at Flourish and Blotts 11:00 sharp._

_Love,_

_Snitch_

Well, there was only one person in the world who had called her Mia and he certainly wasn't a Deatheater... She had a feeling this was a very bad idea.

* * *

**Roonil Wazlib is a terrible name...**

If someone had told the eleven year old Ron, that his last year at Hogwarts was going to be spent helping Harry Potter destroy Horcruxes, and defeat You Know Who, he probably would've put them in St. Mungo's... Ron moaned and groaned as he was handed yet another piece of Prewett Family silverware to shine and clean. He didn't know why his mother and Muriel were making him do this, considering the silver had developed mold and and unidentifiable smell since it hadn't been used in at least fifty years. They were slowly torturing him, that he was sure of. Slow, painful... ooo an owl...

_Roonil Wazlib,_

_Meet Me at Flourish and Blotts at 11:00 sharp,_

_Snitch._

Ron unwrapped the parcel to reveal a long dark cloak, and it struck him who the package was from when he saw the note. And all he had to say was that Roonil Wazlib was a terrible name...

He had a feeling this was a very bad idea.

* * *

What would you do? If you had a second chance, another shot at life? How would you want to spend it, but more importantly, **who **would you want to spend it with? And how...how would you make things right... So he followed a familiar scent...

* * *

**Big things come in small envelopes...**

"So this is what's happened to our world...?" Harry looked around the bare and almost gray streets of Diagon Alley, it was no longer the vibrant bustle of wizards and witches, the colors of the magical stores and people that inhabited them seemed to have drained, to a dark, and glumy gray.

"Hey..." She turned towards him and took his hand, "Do you want to go?"

"No... we'll be fine. Off to Flourish and Blotts m'lady..." He offered his cloaked arm and off they were, through the snow trodden, depressing streets of what was left of the wizarding world...

"Yes to meet Mia and uh...Roonil Wazlib...? Roonil Wazlib? Do I want to know?" She spoke unsurely as the came nearer to the door of the bookstore. "Hey we have time before we have to meet them right?"

"About an hour why?" Harry looked at her quizzically.

"I need to stop and see Fred and George..." Annie lead the way to the only source of light and fun, Weasley's Wizard's Wheezes. A bell chimed above their heads, as the young pair walked into the famous joke shop. The walls were stocked full of all the favorites of Hogwarts students; Extendable Ears, Peruvian Darkness Powder, Filibuster's Fireworks, Pygmy Puffs, and much more. Annie and Harry peered around the store in search of their favorite Gred and Forge, but said twins were no where to be found.

"Fred...? George...?" Harry and Annie called out simaltaneously. They walked around a bit more, until suddenly they each had a wand tip on their chest.

"Bloody hell, it's just us..." Harry spoke nervously as he slowly pulled down his hood, as did Annie.

"Prove it!" George spoke in a voice that could've scared the living bejesus out of Voldie himself.

"Uhm... Harry James Potter, Gryffindor Seeker, uhm... born July Thirty First..."

"Harry anyone knows that, give them something only you know..."

"Okay, in my third year, I couldn't go to Hogsmeade, so I put on the invisibility cloak, and tried to sneak off, but you two caught me and gave me the Marauder's Map and told me of the one eyed witch passage." Harry jotted off quickly.

"And you..." Fred shot a look at Annie as he spoke.

"Oh right, uh..." Annie was wracking her brains for anything... "In your fifth year you got suspended from school on the insistence of Snape, for blowing up nine girls loos, I was staying at your house that year, because Moony was teaching at Hogwarts." Harry looked a little shocked as he heard this, "I know that you're not really Fred and you're not really George, you just liked each other's names so you switched, you told me that after I didn't sell you out to your mum about turning Bill's hair Umbridge pink..."

"Sorry Booger, Harry..." Fred and George said at the same time, "We just wanted to be sure."

"That's okay, and Booger?" He smiled cheekily at Annie.

"Yes that is their nickname for me, that I 'earned,' that year..." She shot disapproving looks at Fred and George, "And wait a second, you have the Marauder's Map?"

"Er.. yeah why?" Harry glanced at Fred and George unsurely and oddly at Annie.

"Oh it's nothing, I've just heard stories, from Moony about that thing, it's just odd he didn't mention someone actually had it. That's all."

"You two aren't supposed to be here are you?" George asked knowingly.

"Techinically no, but we thought it might be nice to get out of the Ancient House of Filth for a while..." Harry answered.

"So how may we help you today?" Fred and George spoke at the same time giving mock bows, making Harry and Annie smile for the first time since they entered Diagon Alley.

"I have something to give you fine gentleman, actually." Annie pulled two identical looking cream envelopes out of her robe pocket, one labled Fred, and the other labled George in Annie's neat cursive writing. "Don't read them until we leave, and I need an answer by Christmas..." She spoke firmly.

"You're being,"

"Very,"

"Cryptic,"

"It's not like,"

"We have super,"

"Secret decoder,"

"Rings."

"Oh and two packages of extendable ears, never know when you'll need one. "Annie brought two packages to the counter and got out her coin bag.

George haulted her, "No, my treat."

"I insist, this is a business, and I will pay." Annie put her hands on her hips, rivaling Mrs. Weasley for a second. After Annie hugging the boys, and Harry shaking their hands, the pair pulled up their cloaks and exited the shop (neither knew they were being tracked by two parties...), and hoping to see George and Fred at Christmas... While Fred and George tore open their letters eager to find out exactly what was inside, and they weren't exactly shocked when they found what was written inside.

"Hey what was that about?"

"Oh you'll see soon enough," Man, she was being cryptic today...

Hermione was looking at a book on Artifacts of the Dark Arts when she heard someone whisper, "Mia?" Hermione cautiously turned around brandishing her wand, ready to attack anyone who deserved it.

"Hey hey, It's just me," Annie let her hood slip enough for Hermione to see her face. The older girl of the two, noticed slight changes in her companion. Her eyes had lost a little of their mysterious sparkle, and there was something, something very different in the way she walked... It was odd but there was something different. Maybe the stresses of being Harry's girlfriend or whatever she was, was starting to wear on her.

Before Annie could think of anything to say, she was engulfed into a bone crushing, breath taking, famous Hermione hug, which she returned back.

"So what are we doing here?" Could be heard on both sides of deserted bookstore, the whispers of Hermione and Ron barely audible.

"We, are going Christmas shopping..."

* * *

"What do you think? Too green?" Annie held up a beautiful dark bottle green, plush mens cloak, with pure silver decorative stitching. It was a beautiful cloak, but it was a special cloak too. 

"I think it's perfect. Just perfect, really." Hermione said reassuringly as she took the item out of Annie's hands and put it on the counter, not giving Annie time to rebuddle.

"Alright if you think so, it is pretty amazing... We'll take it."

Not to far away, an almost identical conversation was going on, only it concerned jewelry.

"What do you think, it's too...ya know..."

"Perfect? She'll love it mate." Harry looked at the perfect saphire drop necklace, that had a small band around the jewel. He knew how to make it special. If she ever needed him, all she'd have to do was ask...

"Excuse me, sir? Can I also get this engraved...and is it possible to um put charms on necklaces?"

"So how are things going with you and...uh Roonil...?" Annie and Hermione walked out of Madam Malkins, Annie with two bags in her hands and Hermione with one. Annie had bought Harry's gift, the beautiful green cloak, and bought herself a sapphire blue one, with real goblin made silver stitching that reduced fraying and held together much longer than regular thread. The clasp was made of pure crystal and had a vineish design. Harry's was similars to her's only there were some certain charms...to it.

Hermione liking Annie and Harry's new cloaks so much bought one for herself. Her's was a dusty mauve, rose color. A color Annie wouldn't have expected of Hermione, but then again... how much did they really know about each other?

"Really well actually. I'm starting to think, well, maybe... things could get... serious."Hermione turned about eight shades of red in one second...

"You're blushing, you are so totally blushing. Aw..I think it's good, Ron's a good man. Just remember that, even if he drives you insane half the time." Hermione chuckled at this.

"You know I think we all needed this, to get out, to feel free. I feel like I've been a prisoner for the past month..." Hermione took a deep breath of the clean crisp air.

"I get that. I definitely get that. Do you know Harry and I have been so bored we've redecorated...well where were staying...?" Annie didn't want to give too much away, even though she was pretty sure it was just Hermione, herself, Ron, and Harry in Diagon Alley that day, you could never know if someone was listening.

"No...!" Hermione gasped as a smile appeared on her rosy cheeks,"Someone actually made the hellhole pretty?"

"Hmmm Hell hole, didn't think to call it that, I'll add that to the list." Annie joked, "But yes, slowly but surely. I don't know why were doing it, I mean, it'll probably just get ransacked by Death Munchers any day now."

"You're trying to make it home, there's no shame in that."

"No I guess there's not. So where to?"

"I actually need to go to the Quidditch store for Ron's gift." The two girls meandeared their way to the Quality Quidditch Supplies Store. Hermione looked lost, as much as the girl had tried to pay attention during Harry and Ron's many hour long talks of the game, she just couldn't force herself to pay attention. Quidditch had the same affect on her as Binns did on the boys.

Annie however seemed to know what she was looking at, she stroked each broom handle as she passed it, she smiled at the displays. She noticed Hermione's prediciment...

She casually put down the Quidditch Weekly magazine she was paroozing and glided over to Hermione.

"Harry told me you weren't particularly fond of brooms and quidditch. Do you want some help?"

"Yes Please!" Hermione said eagerly.

"Okay, first off, what position does he play?"

"Keeper,"

"And I'm assuming it needs to be functional for er... for what you all are going to be doing, right?"

"It would probably be useful to have a good broom. He mentioned his cleansweep was wearing out."

"Alright he's a keeper, so he needs something sturdy..." She paused and picked up a broom off the wall, "But maneuverable," she quickly discarded the broom for another, "He needs some decent speed, but not so much that he zooms past the quaffle." Annie silently roamed the store, with Hermione entently following her. Annie would pick up a broom and study it, while Hermione looked hopeful this would be the one, only to be disappointed when Annie would claim it to be, "Too springy," or, "Too Oaky," or "Too Blahhh..." Until finally she picked one up, and proclaimed it to be, "Perfect. This is it, this is your broom."

Hermione gently took it out of Annie's hands and clasped it in her own. It was beautiful, a nice red wood of some kind which specific kind, she wasn't sure. It just looked like Ron to her.

"Alright, we'll take this," Hermione placed the broom on the counter and pulled out her coin bag. "Annie, thank you. So you know about quidditch?" She gave her a smile and turned back around to pay for the broom.

"I may have played a few pick up games once or twice...and you're welcome, I think he'll like it."

"No, I think he'll love it." Hermione shrunk the package and put it in the same bag as her new cloak, so Ron wouldn't automatically know what his gift was when they met up again.

"Let's go find the boys..."

"Lets..." They walked out of the store arm into the street and ran smack dab into the boys.

"Ouch..." Annie rubbed her forehead and that was when she realized it...

There's an art to being able to keep a hood up, especially when you're being crashed into...

"Oh bugger..."

* * *

He could sense he was getting closer, closer to the scent, closer to all he was searching for. All he wanted, but little did he know, he would find a whole lot more... but he had to wonder, why the hell was Harry in diagon alley right now?

* * *

**Why this wasn't a good idea...**

"We really need to teach you different swear words...Oh bugger..." Harry's voice drifted off as he saw what had happened, more like why he was suddenly surrounded by hooded figures, with masks. Harry withdrew his wand from his pocket in a second flat, and noticed Hermione and Ron doing the same. Meanwhile Annie was slowly raising her hands... Harry had to wonder what she had planned. With a quick wave of both her hands Annie had petrified the four deatheater's surrounding them.

"Nice." Harry staired in admiration.

"Thanks."

"Does anyone have a plan?"Ron asked all too eagerly.

"Um..." Annie paused as she got up quickly

"Today is not the day for Um.. Anne." Harry remarked.

Annie shot a dirty look at him and spoke calmly, "Let's just apparate to Grimmauld Place before more come..." they seemed to agree, and just as they turned on the spot they were halted, and found themselves face down in the dirt.

"Apparation Wards," Hermione muttered... "Smart... I knew this would be a bad idea."

"That it was you filthy mudblood," An all too familiar, shrill female voice sounded from behind them.

"Shite." Annie said plainly as she felt herself being pulled up and a wand being prodded into her bare kneck.

"That's more like it Annie." Harry grunted.

* * *

For a second the entire world seemed to freeze, to literally stop moving. Harry held a breath he didn't know he was holding, and braced himself to give one surge of power. But he didn't need it. The little deathmuncher who captured Annie was stupid enough to ignore the fact she could use her hands... She shot a clean reducto directly at Harry's attacker, carefully to avoid hitting Harry himself. Unfortunately this only gave the foursome a short amount of time to retreat before the brunt of the attacking could occur, without apparation and without a portkey, they were going to have to fight their way to the Leaky Cauldron and hope for the best that the floo wasn't blocked. And so it began... 

"Expelliarmus!" Harry called through the yells of incantations, in the hopes of taking at least one person down. But his dueling partner was too quick and put up a shield before Harry's spell finished. A voice played back through his head from earlier in the day, _"Anyone would know that...you have to do something only you know..."_ This was war, and in the words of Barbara Bush, 'War is not nice...' "Sectumsempra!' Harry wanted to vomit as the vile spell came out of his mouth, a spell he swore he would never use again, but again... this was a war.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Who the hell would use that spell in a duel, Harry thought to himself, and then he realized there was one person crazy enough to make it work. Annie had levitated a man straight into brickbuilding and let him drop the rest of the way down. The man slumped over, unconscious and bleeding from the head. As soon as Annie turned around she was faced by another, and was able to take him down with a single spell, this was when her haven powers came in handy, unlike the others she didnt' have to think about defense as much, even though she did just to keep up appearances...

* * *

As he trotted down the side streets of Diagon Alley he heard the sounds of distress. Unfortunately his godson's scent was coming from the same direction as the chaos...

* * *

**Who knew Pygmy Puffs could be so violent?**

Hermione was being tripled teamed by four of Voldemort's cronies, all she could think about was defense, at least until one of them made a mistake. She heard a low growl and foot steps coming from behind her...

"Three blokes against one bird? Do you have no shame?" Hermione never thought she'd hear that destinct voice ever again...

"Sirius...?"

"Hermione duck!" Annie ran as fast as she could, and to as close to Hermione as she could and sent a reducto curse at the chest of one of the deatheaters, but she couldn't reach the other three without grazing Hermione and her... wait a second, who was that? But she didn't have time to ask, as Hermione seemed relatively distracted by the newcomer, and wasnt' paying attention to the fact that the noble and honorable cowards were cursing her behind her back. She rushed to the girls side and cast a harbor (Annie's haven shields) around herself and Hermione, and the guy she was so distracted with by standing in the middle of them and talking hold of both of their hands in her own.

It was an undescribable state, knowing you just saved someone's life. It was such a high, knowing that that was simply your purpose in life. To save others from a terrible defeat...

"I like her," Sirius panted.

"Me too," Hermione smiled at Annie, but all was lost as Annie looked the man in the face, seeing many of her own features in the man she was gazing at. He staired back, and the two shared a look of understanding, a knowing look. But a cold voice pulled them out of their short lived reverie...

"CRUCIO!" Voldemort's presence, no matter where he was, always ended up in tragedy. Harry writhed on the ground, but slowly he felt that he could do this, he didn't want to allow the pain to control his body, he didn't want to give up. Slowly but surely he rose to his knees and grasped his wand tighter as he stood up fully. He, Harry Potter, shook off the Cruciatus Curse... and he almost smiled at the look of horror on Tom's face...

At this point, Ron, Hermione, Annie, and Sirius had rushed out into the open and were immediately attacked by the remaining deatheaters... Little did they know that Fred and George had a few tricks pulled up their sleeves. While other shop owners retreated in their shops, Fred and George Weasley, knowing who was causing the trouble, did what they did best...

They ran through the streets, carrying...purple and pink pygmy puffs... Laugh as you may, but these pygmy puffs weren't just any pygmy puffs. They were the ones that uhm... somehow were inbred, (really Fred and George just wanted to see the effects of what sharing the same genes did to you, but were they going to tell anyone that? Nah... Unecessary...)

"Sirius?" Ron saw the man out of the corner of his eye while he was dueling a large cloaked man.

"Ron?"

"Harry?"

"Sirius?" Harry threw his head over his shoulder as he fended off two death eaters at the same time, he could tell they were starting to tire, and he couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at his godfather, the godfather he had thought to be dead...

"Okay I respect the family reunion here, but **we** need to leave! What the...?" Hermione looked down to the ground to see an army of pink fluffy things, that she now recognized to be pygmy puffs heading towards Bellatrix Lestrange...

"New product Granger, attacking pygmy puffs..." This allowed enough of a distraction for Sirius to injure two masked men with powerful stunnning cursese. Then all seven (Fred, George, Annie, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius) of them to make a run for it down a side street. Each of them sending reductos and stunners behind them at the following deatheaters. Luckily (at least in Annie's mind) this was the street they all dropped their Christmas gifts at, it'd be a shame to have lost those... As both girls ran they were able to drop down and pick up the bags without stopping,

"Smooth..." Harry called back breathlessly

"We know, we're awesome and you are so jealous..." Annie chided back as they all slowed down and ducked behind a rubbish bin...

"Hello Sirius," At this point nothing surprised Harry anymore...

"Hey pup..."

"Hello," Sirius looked at his daughter, and recognized the same twinkle in her eyes...

"Erm...guys..." Hermione jerked her head in the direction of the oncoming deatheaters...

"We'll talk..."

"We just have to make it outside the Leaky Cauldron, right?" Hermione aimed her question towards

"I hope so," Harry said optimistically, although he wasn't feeling very optimistic.

"And it's how far?" Annie asked, slightly panting.

"About a mile," Fred started.

"You know, give or take..." George guessed.

"A mile? A mile! Who in bloody hell knew Diagon Alley was this big?"

"Well, I don't mean to be the downer here, but not all of us are going to make it a mile, not without getting ambushed at least..." Ron solemnly added to the debate.

"Which means we need a distraction..."Sirius jumped into the conversation for the first time...

"I'll do it..." Annie was the only one who spoke up and the assembled group looked at her like she needed to institutionalized...

"No...!" Harry and Sirius whispered fiercely at the same time.

"Listen- to- me, I have a plan..."

"You have a plan?" Harry leaned closer to her and she whispered in his ear. "Alright, let's go. I don't like it, but it's all we've got. we'll meet you, in ten minutes?" Harry cupped the back of her head, and pulled her in close to him, and slowly touched his lips to hers. He breathed in her peppermint hair, and touched his tongue to her lips begging for entrance... So much for that thought, many throat clearings interuppted that thought. Harry and Annie gave apologetic looks to their er.. audience, they stood up and just before Harry and crew were about to run for their lives... literally, Harry leaned close to Annie's ear, so only they could hear, and said, "Be safe, stay strong, have hope. I love you." Before Harry left, Annie grabbed her blue cloak out of the bag and stripped off the black one, and donned her, what would someday be famous, sapphire cloak. And with that the six ran as fast as they could as Annie slowly stepped into the street. Slowly, but surely, she walked into the center of Diagon Alley, where she knew they were all hiding like cowards.

* * *

**The Rise of The Blue Angel**

The ground crunched beneath her as she stepped on glass bits from the shop windows, or what were the shop windows. She breathed in the crisp winter's air and stopped to get her feet grounded. It was actually quite relaxing if you excused the whole impending death thing happening. She turned around cautiously and heard...

"Did little, bitty, baby Potter leave his girlfriend to fight his battles? Tut, tut, a woman of the Noble House of Black wouldn't stand for that... But of course, a filthy halfbreed like you would, wouldn't she? Oh yes, I know your secret dear cousin, a haven... how noble..." Bellatrix chasted.

Annie felt as long as Bella was talking, it would distract her long enough for the others to get to the Leaky Cauldron. Then she and the deatheaters would play a lovely game of chase the filty halfbreed haven down the street...

"You're just jealous..." She couldn't think of anything else to say, but it worked, Bella continued on with her insanity of pureblood propaganda.

"Enough with the small talk, let's just get on with it already..." Annie could sense more cloaked figures surrounding her from behind.

"Oh I was waiting for you to say that. Crucio!"

"Expelliarmus...!" Of course Annie won that one, Bella didnt' stand a chance... Annie twiddled the wand between her fingers before breaking it in half with her knee, she smirked as she saw Bellatrix physically shudder. "Poor, little, Bella, without her wand. What will she do. Oh don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. A simple, loathsome, halfbreed like myself... just wouldn't have the guts. But I'm sure Neville Longbottom will be pleased to hear he has a fair shot at you. I recommend one thing Bella, run and hide. Run-and-Hide... You're dispicable." Annie bound her in magic ropes and let her fall to the ground, "Oh and my father says hello." Annie walked away from Bella and stood again in the center of the street, "Anyone else want to have a go, you worthless cowards?" Black twirled around her small form and she couldn't help but smile as her natural safe harbor surrounded her effortlessly, forcing the floating black wisps back into the brick buildings surely crushing them. She wondered how they did that, floating through the air like that, that is. Harry had told her something similar that the Order of the Phoenix did in the Department of Mysteries.

_The perfect words never crossed my mind,  
'cause there was nothing in there but you,  
I felt ounce of me screaming out,  
But the sound was trapped deep in me,_

She began to run, feeling the cold wind wipping her porcelain face. She prepared herself for something, anything to just jump out and grab her, but they didn't, she wasn't confronted until she came to the end of the street, exactly where she needed to be, a corner away from the leaky cauldron. But she paused, a figure was standing in the street, and it seemed to be waiting for something.

_All I wanted just sped right past me,  
While I was rooted fast to the earth,  
I could be stuck here for a thousand years,  
Without your arms to drag me out,_

She slowed to a walk, cautiously avoiding any pieces of debris that her feet could step on that would betray her position. The person pivoted, almost floating, and turned towards her. It's snakelike face almost daring her to move. She walked patiently in the direction of Tom, giving him a good amount of time to curse her... But strangely enough, he didn't. She gave him a look that clearly stated, 'Go ahead'

"Now is not your time..." Was all he said in that voice that made shivers dart your spine like knives, and he vanished...

"Merry Christmas to you too..."

She turned the corner and broke into a run and she saw someone else waiting for her at the end of the street at the Leaky Cauldron (which was looking worse for wear...) But she wasn't exactly paying attention to the person at the end of the street and ran directly into their waiting arms...

_There you are standing right in front of me  
All this fear falls away to leave me naked,  
Hold me close cause I need you to guide me to safety_

"You did good..." She looked up and saw the eyes of her father... Someone she thought was dead all this time... He held her closer, his fingers stroking her hair.

"This has been a weird day..." They began to walk towards the dismantled door of the Leaky Cauldron.

"That is has... So may I ask how you four found yourselves in this situation..."

"Oh well, we had nothing better to do...So where are the others..."

"Breaking into a car..."

"Oh because that makes sense...Shit! Run." Being followed by a mob of angry deatheaters...well it's not good...

* * *

**Riding along in my automobile...**

"So what were you planning on doing after you broke into the car? No keys, Hermione...do you know how to drive?" She waited for Hermione to shake her head in a no..Why would you live in both worlds and not learn how to drive? "Ron get out of my seat!" Annie pulled Ron out of the driver's seat, sat down and adjusted the mirror as Harry and Sirius assembled into the roomy front, while Hermione, Ron, Fred and George scruched into the back. "Not only did you steal a car, punching out the front window, you stole a station wagon! A station wagon is our getaway car, geniuses you are." Annie fiddled with something by the steering wheel that looked like wires, sparks began to erupt from some of them and a cracking sound filled the air.

"You know how to hotwire a car?" Harry said.

"You say that like it's a bad thing..." Sirius and Annie turned to Harry and said at the same time.

"Freaky, Freaky day... Sorry Jean Whaler... I also know how to sing the ABC's backwards and I know a full history of the Palopanesian War... and for some reason the fact that I can hotwire a car, surprises you?" There was a stethoscope with a name plate hanging on the rear view mirror. "Everybody buckled? Okay hold on..." Annie swirved the car out of it's parking spot between two cars and zoomed off down the small side street, passing many angry drivers in the process.

_Hung my cotton dress on rusted wire  
Up there on Pilahatchee Bridge  
Just a crazy roughneck's daughter  
Jumped head-first into the water  
Baptized away my sins_

If you looked at the faces in the car you probably would've laughed, Ron looked like he was about to puke, Hermione looked paler than white out but was at least keeping her composure, Fred, George and Sirius looked equally amused, while Harry looked focused.

"We just got flipped off by an old lady..." Fred laughed.

"Well what's life without being flipped off by a couple of old ladies," Sirius laughed...

_We slipped in the back of Sunday service  
Know them church ladies, they heard us  
Bum smoke money from the offering_

"Blue, do you see what I see in your rear view mirror?" Harry used his finger to point to three people on broom sticks behind them...

"Oh this is good..." Annie mumbled and turned the car down a country road in hopes of losing the impending deatheaters,

"And here we thougth deathmunchers were lazy..." Hermione said as she looked out the back window to track their foes...

"Oh Hermione, meant to tell you, I couldn't find any books on your topic, but I do however have an idea on how to get information..." Annie checked in the mirror and turned the wheel quickly.

"What exactly does this idea involve, you know just for curiositie's sake."

"Well," Annie paused turning the car again so sharply they all had to hold on to sides of the vehicle to stay upright, "It involves breaking into Hogwarts, making it past Fliches cat, breaking into the Headmaster's office and stealing a painting..."

"Is that all?" Hermione said exasperated...

"Yup." Annie spoke completely unaware...

_Mama said, "Idle hands are Devil's handywork"  
Oh, the trouble you'll get into  
You got nothin' better to do, got nothin' better to do  
You got nothin' better to do, got nothin' better to do _

"Alright on three, Fred, George apparate back to Shell Cottage... you probably should close down the shop until the war's over guys..."Harry spoke diplomatically.

"Can we uh apparate in a moving car?" Fred spoke nervously...

"I guess you'll find out..." Annie said ominously...

"Thanks,"

"For the vote,"

"Of confidence..."

"Anytime guys, see you..." And with that Fred and George were gone.

_Hid deep in the Mississippi backwoods  
We danced and played around 'til dark  
_

"Now what?" Ron asked casting some spells out of the broken window at the broom clad flyers...

"Now, you go back to Muriel's, Hermione back to Scottland..." Annie muttered as she avoided hitting another car...

_Well I had them wrestlin' for my first kiss  
Turned into a fight and they missed  
Me speeding off in Tommy's car_

"What about you guys?"

"We are going to drive this car, over that bridge and plummet into the water, and we'll see you at Christmas," Harry improvised. They could apparated just in time.

"Why into the water?" Sirius asked...

"Because we can't let a running car go lose on the road without a driver and have it randomly crashing into people."

"Well as long as you have a plan..." Sirius got out his wand...

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked in hopes of convincing them of another plan...

"Yeah, we'll be fine. We've made it this far huh? One, two, three!" Hermione and Ron were gone.

"You ready?" Harry turned to Annie...

"Mmmhmmm... Did I ever tell you I hate water...?"

"You just have to apparate right as the car goes off the bridge..."

"Well now that you put it like that," She said sarcastically, "Here we go, one two,"

_Nobody hurt, nobody harmed  
Nobody's business but my own_

A Collective "AAAAAH!" could be heard through the car as it tipped quickly over the bridge, and the pops of apparation sounded.

_Mama said, "Idle hands are Devil's handwork  
Oh, the trouble you'll get into!"_

All three of them crashed on the doorstep, hitting their heads on the brick of the building...

"Ow... **That**, we are never doing **that** again...! Ooof." Harry offered Annie his hand and he pulled her up. "Thank you." The trio walked through the front door and were surprised to say the least...

"Are we in the right house?" Sirius asked looking around at the much improved Ancient House of Black.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER, ANNE ELYSE BLACK!"

"As we English say, you be in some deep shit..." Sirius leaned towards the two...


	16. Meet me in St Louis pt 2

Disclaimer: We've been over this before! No I don't own Harry Potter or any of it's original characters. I do however own Annie. Lyrics to the songs Signal fire, Nothing better to do,

_-It's our last dance in St. Louis. I feel like I'm going to cry- Judy Garland as Esther Smith_

_**Chapter 15: Meet Me In St. Louis**_

* * *

Remus Lupin was a patient man, he was a tolerant man, he was a freakin saint compared to his school friends... but somedays... 

Moony paced up and down the sitting room floor, sighing something to himself than looking back at Harry and Annie, then sighing something under his breath and looking back at Harry and Annie. It was like a really bad game of ping pong, back and forth and back and forth. He hadn't even noticed Sirius yet...

"He's pacing," Harry said to Annie, both of them still stairing at Moony.

"This is true,"

"He's turning puce..."

"This is true... hahhhha!" Annie said solemnly and then chuckled...

"What?"

"Puce... funny word..." Harry staired at Annie in disbelief..."He's looking at us..."

"This is true..."

"STOP, repeating what I'm doing!" Lupin turned around at them fuming... "Irresponsible... Selfish... Preposturous..."

"Oooooh...Big word..." Sirius muttered to himself...

"Tell me this: ARE YOU TWO BARKING MAD?"

"If we said yes would that win us any points...?" Harry asked cautiously...

"Do we run?"

"Do we dare?"

"I think...we may...have...severly...hurt...his head..." Annie leaned her head to one side while Harry leaned his to the other... Remus turned away from them and placed his gaze directly in the corner Sirius was in...

"What?...hm...Huh...How?" Moony muttered incoherently and then looked back at the two teenagers...

"That...that wasn't our fault..." Annie said jokingly pointing in the direction of Sirius...

"Yes...that, we had nothing to do with..."

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Moony hit his head on the wall...

"And he thinks you two are mad..."Sirius said between fits of chuckles, getting a dirty look from Moony, "Right, I'll just sit in my corner here. Corner nobody understands like you do..."

"Our sentiment's exactly..."

"Would somebody like to explain exactly what's going on here?" Remus asked pinching the bridge of his nose.

The three responded at the exact same time, "No, not really."

* * *

**The Star Mile**

_Worlds arise as she lets you come in  
A duo begins  
To the Hollywood Inn  
Of the lonely_

"I won't let you keep me from my daughter again, Remus." This is what Harry heared as he came down in the middle of the night to get a glass of water. He and Annie had decided it would be wise to sleep separately since Sirius was back. They didn't think he would react well to his daughter and godson sleepign together. Truth was Harry had gotten used to her being there, and now he couldn't sleep without her. He stayed out of site by the door as the two men conversed heatedly in the candle lit kitchen. "I could've seen her, met her at least two years ago! Hell, if you had fought for Harry like you should've the two could have grown up the way Lily, James and I intended them to."

_And all the gold dust in her eyes won't reform into rain  
You hadn't lost the one thing  
You kept in a safe place _  
"I was trying to protect her!"Remus pounded his fist on the table.

"From what!? Tell me Remus, because she seems to be able to take care of herself pretty damn well."

_Remember the face  
Of the girl who had made you her own_  
"I was keeping her from the mess that was her father! I was keeping her from the heartache of you going and getting yourself killed!"

_And how you left her alone _

"Get out! Get out of my house!" Sirius pushed his chair out knocking it over. Remus made his way for the stairs, "Where the hell are you going?"

"I'm taking my daughter and we are leaving!"

"Your daughter? Your daughter! Listen to me, you may have taken her in and raised her, but she is still My daughter." Harry had never seen Sirius and Remus this upset with eachother, yes they always had little disagreements which was understandable due to their differing personalities, but this wasn't like them... Maybe Remus, like Hermione said, had changed. Or maybe...maybe Sirius had changed, they still didn't know what truly happened to him behind that veil, but Harry wasn't sure he cared to know. Harry decided to step in before things got too heated, he walked into the kitchen acting completely unaware of what he had just overheard.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" He walked towards the cupboard and pulled out a glass.

Sirius cleared his throat, "Nothing...Moony was just leaving."

"Oh well the door's that way." Harry said cheekily and taking a swig of his water.

"Right, goodnight." He gave Harry a smile and when he didn't think Harry was watching he gave Sirius a look of disgust. Sirius sat down at the table and put his head in his hands.

_Look down from your tower on high  
And take in the night_

"So, pup how much did you hear?"

"All of it." Harry sat down at the table across from his godfather.

"You know, I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but James and Lily were Annie's godparents, not Moony..."

"Really...?"

"I wanted someone most like myself to raise my child..."

"And Remus and Peter definitely differ from yourself..."

"I just want to know Annie, but... I don't know how to really know her..."

_Look her right in the eye  
She'll listen_

Harry sighed, "Annie is... kind, she's smart. She's really powerful but she doesn't boast about it to anyone. She's forward, but not arrogant. Honestly I think she's a bit of a martyr, she'll do what you ask her to even if it's going to be hard... or a struggle for her. Hermione asked her to look up something in the Black Library, she had half of the books read in a couple days, and you know how many and how depressing the books are in there... Uhm.. She's got a great sense of humor... slightly insane but only slightly. You can trust her with anything, she's loyal. She's difficult, but worth the effort... Just give it time." Harry got up, patted his godfather once on the back and went to his room. Just as he was about to walk up the stairs he turned and said, "Oh and her favorite color," Sirius looked up, "Is blue,"

_And all the gold dust in her eyes won't reform into rain  
You hadn't lost the one thing  
You kept in a safe place_

"Hey Harry?"

"Yes.."

"Thanks... can I ask you another question?"

"Of course..."

"How's the Order?"

"I honestly wouldn't know...we all kind of had a falling out with the Order in November...Goodnight." Harry truly hadn't heard anything, or even read anything about the Order's efforts.

"Night..."

* * *

The Prophet had a field day over the Diagon Alley fiasco, but for some odd reason they couldn't figure out who the mysterious cloaked wizards were that were fighting the death eaters... But what was even stranger was that the deatheaters normally posted outside of Grimmauld Place had... disappeared.

* * *

December 24th 11:59 pm 

_Harry dreamsequence:_

Harry tossed and turned in his sleep, his sheets intertwining around him like a straight jacket. He was wet all over from sweat, tossing and turning he heard voices and saw their faces...all those who had given him advice over the years...

_"There's a storm coming Harry, and we best be ready when she does." Hagrid's gruff but kind face appeared in his mind and drifted away, as though he was being taken from Harry, taken away._

_"And then we'll go with you, wherever you're going." Ron's voice clattered through his head_

_"You said to us once before," said Hermione quietly, "that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time,haven't we?" Flashes of all the people he loved, were slowly drifting away._

_"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed? Only innocent lives, Peter." Sirius's soft voice seemed to whisper in his mind._

_"It unscrews the other way."_

_"Is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."_

_"You're fighting a losing battle there, dear."_

_"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."_

The next few flashes were all new to Harry...

_"You are a spiteful, spiteful man Harry Potter! What happened to you?" He saw a scene of Annie poking him in the chest with her finger._

_"If you hurt her, if you so much as look at her, I won't kill you because you're the supposed savior of the wizarding world, but I will hurt you..." Said a voice he recognized, but couldn't place who it was from..._

_"Harry, if we live in the past or if we try to live in the future, we won't live at all."_

_"We're wasting time, valueble time. This war... this final battle, it could happen today, in a month, a year, we could be fifty by the time this all ends. But the more prepared we are the better..."_

Harry awoke breathless with his hair clung to his wet forehead. He didn't know if what he dreamed was real, but if it was, he needed to get moving... and fast. This war, this final battle, this vendetta... it would someday come to an end. And just like the dream spoke, it would be best to be ready when the time came for this war to come to a final close. And for it to be final, that means getting rid of every last bit of the twisted being that was Voldemort.

* * *

**Ginny Weasley reporting for duty...**

Annie and Harry were awoken that foggy christmas morning by an extremely hyper Sirius bouncing up and down on their beds singing Christmas carols repeatedly until they grudgingly got out of their respective beds... and went into the kitchen to drown their drowsiness in coffee. The teenagers sat at the table, Harry putting his head in his hands while Annie squinted at the clock.

"Harry what time does that clock say?" Annie clearly knew what time it was, she just wanted to make sure her brain wasn't fooling her...

"It says 4:50, why?" Annie gave Harry a second to let it sink in... "4:50! You woke us up at 4:50?!" Harry and Annie hit their heads on the table in one synchronized motion.

"It's Christmas!" Sirius almost glided, "A time to be merry to be with the people you love! Why should we waste that on sleep?"

"I hate Christmas..." Annie mumbled as she slamed her head down on the table...

Annie gave Harry a look, he had told her Sirius was like this at Christmas, "I'm not gonna say I told you so, so I'll just give you the face." Harry gave her the 'Mmmmhmm I told you,' face.

"So when is Mrs. Weasley getting here?" Annie glanced up at the clock again and groaned, they were holding Christmas at Grimmauld Place because it had the most security charms out of all the houses owned between the hiding wizards.

Sirius looked at the clock and mouthed "Five, four, three, two, on..."

The sound of apparation filled the foyer of the house followed by the traditional Weasley family bickering.

"Good Morning Everyone! Merry Christmas!" Mrs. Weasley bustled into the the kitchen and looked slightly disappointed as she saw Harry and Annie still in their PJ's, "You're not dressed, go! Go!" She swatted them with a towel to get them moving.

"Ow! It's five in the morning!"

"Ow! We're going!" Harry and Annie ran into Ron and Ginny by the stairs, who looked like dead men walking.

"Well Goodmorning sunshine..." Annie poked Ron in the rib cage and he gave an involuntary, "Ehhugh.." and slumped over the railing.

"May I ask, why? Why did we all have to be here at the crack of dawn. It's not even the crack of dawn, dawn... has not cracked..." Ginny sighed sleepily.

"Because Christmas is the time to be merry with the people you love and we shouldn't waste it on sleep," Harry and Annie said in the most monotone, flat voices on the planets as if this fact had been beaten into their brains.

Harry was about half way up the stairs when he noticed Ginny and Annie following close behind, he gave Annie a confused look. She was just getting dressed, why did she need Ginny?

"What's going on?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Was Ginny and Annie's cheeky response as the ascended the rest of the stairs and closed the door to Annie's room. Harry just shook his head and went to take a shower as the girls did their thing... Little did he know they weren't doing anything for themselves... it was all about him.

Ginny flopped on Annie's freshly made bed and sat pretzel style as Annie took a sweater out of her closet and sniffed it not remembering if it was clean or not, and discarded it quickly into the dirty bin.

"So how's Hogwarts, you know with the whole Snape being Headmaster, it's the end of the world thing?" Annie spoke sarcastically as she too plopped on the bed.

"It's kind of scary actually... it's like deathmuncher's junior high or something. The Slytherins of course think they rule the roost since the 'Golden Trio' left. For some reason those three gave people alot of hope, to keep trudging on. We all just feel so useless, we're not actually learning anything since Oliver was fired as Defense Substitute..."

"Wood was fired? I guess he'll be able to focus on Puddlmere more..." This was definitely news to Annie.

"Well after Snape took over McGonagall's post, he fired Wood and became DADA teacher himself, it's what he's always wanted, and now he has the power to do it I guess. I just think those of us who feel so useless had something to focus our efforts on. I mean at least when the DA was running it gave us some feelings of accomplishment..."

"I may.. be able to help you there..." Annie sat up a little straighter...

"Really... hmm... are you going to tell me how, or do you just want to play a game of 'Guess what's on Annie's mind' because honestly knowing you it could take a while..." Ginny laughed as Annie hit her with a pillow...

"I take great offense to that statement... but I won't deny that it's not true..." The brown haired girl said while smirking.

"So what's this idea...?"

"Well technically it's not my idea, it started as Hermione and Ron's... and then Harry's."

"Okay..."

"They want to build up an army..." Annie said apprehensively and waited for Ginny's response, which was a look of thought and then a big grin...

"I'm in. How can I help...?"

The girls chatted for a while, before Ginny finally asked the question Annie was expecting...

"So why isn't Harry telling me about this?"

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to do something, a task before Harry can finally get rid of Voldemort. I don't really know much about it other than Dumbledore left it for them to do. Which really just proves, Dumbledore kept alot from the people he supposedly trusted... I don't even think the Order knew about this 'task'"

"Strange..."

"But I do have a feeling that they're leaving soon..."

"How do you know...?"

"I just have a feeling..."

* * *

**Where you lead I will Follow**

Harry waited anxiously at the bottom of the stairs, holding a wrapped, rectagular box in one hand and leaned on the railing casually using his other hand to support himself. He began to shift his feet nervously in anticipation and finally saw what he was waiting for. The most beautiful woman in the world was striding down the steps toward him, smirking the whole way.

Annie wore a simple black, almost fifties style skirt that came to right below her knees, showing her creamy, perfectly toned legs; a red, slightly v-kneck, form fitting sweater, and little black flats... Her hair, was straight with sweeping bangs, slightly covering one eye. Her naturally, black long eyelashes stood out even more making her blue eyes sparkle with an unusual bit of happiness...

Harry bit his lip as she came nearer, it took all his willpower not to grab her by the hand, take her into the nearest room and make love to her until both of them couldn't think straight. He settled for giving her the most passionate kiss of his life.

He sent shivers down her spine as his lips slowly began to brush against her's. Her hands slowly made their way to his mid back, while he ran his fingers through her silky, peppermint scented hair. She aggresively pulled him closer to her body, as his tongue slowly parted her lips and waging war with her mouth. She moaned in his mouth as she could start to feel him against her leg...

He began to slowly pull away, and he could sense Annie's knees giving out on her, so instead of pulling away he decided to tease her a bit, he slowly and teasingly ran his tongue on her lips,

"Harry," she panted, weakly, "Stop or I'm going to..." But it was too late... she sank into his arms, her entire body shivering unable to support herself any longer. She pressed her head into Harry's neck to muffle her moans as he kissed her kneck...

"That was one hell of a kiss..." Harry sighed holding her close... it was good they stopped when they did... he smiled proudly at himself...

"Harry Potter!" She snapped at him, her blue eyes turning fierce. He opened his mouth to speak, "Give me a second..." She swatted him upside the head. "That was mean, very, very ... mean...Did you know you could do that...? Cause that, that was..."

"Amazing? Epic...?" She hit him again. "Well if I had known I could do that... nope still would've done it..." Harry smiled cheekily as Annie stumbled backwards getting her footing.

"There are people! Downstairs, there are people, who are celebrating the birth of baby jesus at ungodly hours of the early morning, for reasons I can't quite understand. And you kiss me like that, and don't expect me to want a bit more? You...you go downstairs... I need a minute..." Annie leaned against the wall and slid down it, sitting on the floor smirking...

"Nope, believe it or not there was a reason I was wating for you." Harry sat next to her and gave her the box that had fallen to the floor during their...er.. snog fest.

"You mean other than to snog me to that...er...extent, yes extent is what we'll call it..." Annie looked at Harry who was just smiling...

"I love you." Harry took her hand and placed a small rectangular box in her other hand. "Merry Christmas..."

Annie slowly opened the box and intook a sharp breath, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was a silver necklace, with squarish pendant that had tiny, delicate diamonds leading to a deep blue sapphire in the middle...

"Flip it over," Harry whispered...

Still in a bit of awe, Annie did as she was told and flipped the pendant over and saw, _'Where you lead I will follow,_' inscribed on the back. She felt her heart melt...Harry lifted her chin softly with his finger...

"I want you to know, wherever I am, whatever I'm doing, I'm still here and no matter what I will always, always come back. When you need me, I'll be here, all you have to do is ask..." For a second the necklace got warm in her palm and glowed a bright light...

"Harry James Potter, what did you do?" She said staring at the necklace as the light went down...

"Wouldn't you like to know..." He said, his smirk growing more apparent with every syllable he spoke, his dangerously green eyes gleamed in the sconcelit hallway.

"Thank you, I can honestly say it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen... Help me put it on?" She turned slightly so her back was facing him and pushed her hair out of the way as he clasped the necklace.

"What do you think?" Annie smiled down at the necklace.

"Perfect." He said, but he wasn't talking about the necklace...

Annie got up and walked over to the stairs where another dropped box was lying. She wistfully walked back towards Harry and sat back down on the floor...

"Happy Christmas..." Harry slowly slipped the ribbon off the box and lifted the top off to find a hansome deep green, velvet and satin lined wizarding cloak, with sliver stitching... Slytherin colors... but had anyone else noticed he looked **good** in Slytherin colors? The clasp was even shaped like a tiny gold and sliver snitch...

"Wait, there's something else in that box mister!" Annie said in a fake-stern voice while wagging her pointer finger.

Harry looked down and at the bottom of the box there was a piece of parchment that had to be at least three feet long, he pulled it out and unscrolled it, "We've got a document the length of Nicholas Nickleby here..."

"Hey that list is very important, that is every single defensive spell I had placed on this puppy. So not only is it a beautiful fashion statement..." She spoke as if she was trying to sell a used car, "It's a freakin super cloak, that blocks up to a weak reducto. I may have just saved your life, my friend." Harry kissed her forehead and grabbed her hand pulling her up.

"Thank you, I love it." Harry started to lead her towards the stairs.

"Do we have to go downstairs? It's going to be all awkward and forced,"

"What do you mean."

"Well you know, with Mooney and my dad fighting, and Tonks being all happy to the point it's depressing, and then there's the whole you leaving thing..."

"How'd you...?" He stopped as Annie began.

"I'll always know, Harry..." and with that she let go of his hand and walked down the stairs... her hand gently making her way up her face to wipe off a single, almost silver tear that had escaped her blue eyes. As she left Harry swore he could hear her say, "I hate Christmas..."

* * *

**Walter's Mustache...**

"Did I just hear that right?" Ginny watched the door as her mother left the kitchen, hips swaying to the Christmas music that she loved and everyone else loved to hate...

Annie was chopping some sort of onion, of which kind she couldn't be quite sure... It was er... smelly and...oniony... but other than that she had no clue. "Yes I believe," Annie began, hostily chopping...

"My mother just asked us to cook the Turkey..." Ginny stepped over to the opposite side of the counter Annie was chopping the onion like substance on and sat on a barstool nearby.

"I would believe that's what she said unless she's speaking in some sort of code..." Annie flashed a cocky grin towards her turkey cooking companion, but had to duck as onions flew threw the air at her...

"Hey! Alright, sorry! Just don't throw the weird vegetable thing that smells like Harry's socks at me!" Annie dumped the chopped items into a deep pot, and giving it a look of disgust as it emitted a hissing noise...

"It's in the vat..." Ginny mumbled as both girls peered over the edge of the pot, Ginny raised one eyebrow and Annie bit her lip as they put the cover over the concoction that was emitting green gas clouds...

"So when are Hermione, Luna, and Neville getting here?" Annie sat down at the table, twiddling her hair around her finger as she glanced at the recipe Mrs. Weasley had left for them.

"Er... I think Mione said they'd be here late afternoon," Ginny looked over at the fire place in the denlike kitchen, looking at the worn clock that said it was only seven thirty in the morning. Why must they start every holiday so early in the morning?! "And you said Tonks and Remus would be here at..."

"Eleven, but with Tonks in tow..."

"Make it more like Twelve," among her many charming qualities, the metamorph's clumsiness was matched with a tendency to always run late...

In the sitting room Harry watched as his godfather struggled with wrapping a rather odd shaped christmas present,

"Do you want some help with that?" Sirius was in tangles on the floor, one hand attempting to spellotape, one foot holding the paper, and the other hand holding the spellotape.

"No, I'm... er good," He looked down at himself and quickly jumped up and composed himself, smoothing out his robes as he huffed a piece of hair out of his face.

Mrs. Weasley bustled into the sitting room and Sirius was engulfed into a boneshattering hug, patting Sirius on the back so hard he actually coughed. "So glad to have you back with us dear," She said still embracing him, "Are you alright?"

Sirius looked down, and then glanced at Harry, and said, "Never better." But Harry saw a look of pain in the grim's eyes. The veil and the department of mysteries were just things Harry, Sirius, and Annie had avoided talking about during their time at Grimmauld Place. But now Harry was starting to wonder just what the veil had brought upon the man...

"Er.. Mrs. Weasley do you happen to know where Annie is?"

"Oh, she's in the kitchen dear. Annie and Ginny have been given the task of cooking the turkey, matter of fact I better go check on them..."

"Thanks... Mrs. Weasley." Harry casually slumped onto the couch and Sirius sat next to him. Looking over, the older man asked with fear...

"Have either Annie or Ginny prepared a turkey before?"

In deep thought, Harry scratched his chin for a moment, "I don't think so..."

"We're all going to die." Sirius said gravely, putting a perfect expression of mock terror on his face...

"Have a little faith, they can do it..." Harry tried to reassure himself as Ron, Fred, and George walked into the room.

"Where's..."

"Ginny and..."

"Annie...?" The twins asked.

"In the kitchen making the turkey..." Harry said cheerily...

"We're all going to die." The three red headed brother's all said as they plopped on the couch at the same time...

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Hello sad, pathetic little bird..." Ginny and Annie stared at the uncooked bird that was lying in the sink...

"Hey you're hurting little Walter's feelings!" Ginny pretended to cover what could've been the ears of Walter...

"Ginny, he can't hear us, he has no head... and he's kinda sticky..."

"Yes well I'm here to help him in his sticky, headless, naked time of need..." Ginny patted little Walter as Annie walked back to the counter to look at their instructions...

"Walter... Gin...? Couldn't we at least give him a turkey like name..."

"Like what...?" Ginny and Annie looked in thought at the turkey...

"I dub the Walter Thaddeus Turkeypants..."

"I feel so bad for your future children," Ginny said in distaste of little Walter's name.

"Well I happen to think that it is an honorable name..."

"Well I happen to think you are insane..."

"I am not the one who named him Walter in the first place, though I can't deny... It's a fetching name.."

"Isn't it?"

"Hello dears, how is it coming..." Molly entered the kitchen with a determined look on her face.

"Er.. Great!" Both girls lied through their teeth.

"Perfect, well I'll be upstairs taking care of some Christmas wrapping, so if you need me. Oh Annie dear, what a lovely necklace."

Annie absentmindedly moved her hand to the pendant on her kneck and shyly smiled, "Thank you."

"Is it from someone special?" Mrs. Weasley gave a knowing smile.

"Um... yes ma'am." With that Mrs. Weasley went upstairs humming one of Celestina Warbeck's slightly porny songs. She pivoted and walked back to the counter to find Ginny doing something very very strange to Walter...

"Gin, are you giving Walter a face...?" She spoke leaning her head in one direction to better see the turkey...

"He was feeling self conscious..." Ginny spoke whilst waving a radish speared on a toothpick through the air to emphasize her point.

"Alright, just er... give him a mustache will you?"

"Handlebar or Pencil?"

* * *

**We Three Weasleys**

At about one o'clock Remus and Tonks arrived at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. It was awkward, to say the least... Especially considering that Neville, Luna, and Hermione arrived at precisely the same time and apparated on top of them. Sirius and Remus somewhat avoided each other, but when they did speak it was forced and awkward. The girls, Luna, Ginny, Hermione and Annie mainly hung out in the kitchen, because according to Gin and Anne they had to keep an eye on 'Walter.' Needless to say Hermione was a little put off by a turkey with a face and a name although she couldn't deny, it was quite fetching. Luna just suggested it was part of a Wonkycross conspiracy.

Harry ducked his head into the kitchen, he looked around. His eyes suddenly looked too old to be his own, instead of green they had turned gray, with green barely noticeable. Annie was coming to recognize this as his solemn, serious expression. It was a look, Hermione knew all to well.

"Hey Mione, Ron and I need to talk to you for a minute..." They were leaving, Harry knew it, Annie knew it, Ron knew it, hell Walter the turkey probably knew it. But that didn't make it any easier.

"Sure, I'll be back guys." Hermione left and exited the kitchen.

"I wonder what that was about," Luna said dreamily twiddling one of her thumbs...

"It's nothing Luna... absolutely," she paused letting out a deep breath, "nothing." Annie spoke with such an emotionless tone that it almost sounded bitter.

"Girls! You haven't put the turkey in yet?!" Mrs. Weasley bustled into the kitchen, with packages bundled in her arms.

"What if Walter doesnt' want to go in the oven...?" Ginny walked over to the counter and hovered over the bird protectively...

"Gin, let go... come on let go." Annie managed to pry Ginny's hands off the turkey, "At some point we all have to let go..."

"Alright...but I'm not happy about it." Annie put the turkey in the oven and shut the door, gave a huff and said,

"That's okay, I'm not either..."

"Girls! You better get in here or else Ronald is going to faint from present withdrawls..." Hermione came in the kitchen with a look of determination.

"Tell him to keep his panties on, we'll be there in a second..." Ginny and Luna started to walk out of the door, but Annie just stood there.

"Hey are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just... holidays. Let's go." The three girls walked out of the kitchen and climbed the stairs to the sitting room where Ron, Harry, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Sirius, Mooney, Tonks, and now Luna, Ginny, and Annie were gathered. Before she could reach everyone else, Annie was pulled aside by Fred and George,

"We just wanted you to know..."

"Whatever you need us to do..."

"We're in..."

They flashed her their famous Fred and George mischievious smiles, and left Annie alone in the hallway. This was good, she thought to herself, she had three Weasleys, not to mention the three wittiest, coniving Weasleys on her team so far... Now all she needed was Neville and Luna...

**God Bless the Merry Gentlemen...**

Harry had recieved the traditional box of chocolate frogs that was twice as big as the normal box from Ron; from Hermione he was given a book series on the Greatest Wizards in Defense, Sirius had given him a pair of dragon skin gloves with his intials embroidered in gold and a few books on...animagi... there was a note attached to the books saying not to let anyone see, and that Sirius wanted to ask him something later... He also was given the every year Weasley jumper and mince pies from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; a broom servicing kit from Lupin and Tonks, an assortment of WWW products from Fred and George, and more sweets from Ginny, a mimbulus mimbletonia from Neville, and lastly from Luna... she gave him a fluffy pink rabbit's foot to "Keep the gillysnuffs away..."

Ron was in absolute awe over his gift from Hermione, the broom was perfect. He wondered how she knew it was the exact broom he wanted... He just hoped she liked her gift from him as much as he loved his new broom...

Hermione unwrapped the box from Ron to find original copies of the books Emma and Northanger Abbey... she was shocked to say the least. They must have cost him a fortune! He had actually listened during one of her self admitted dull book conversations that seemed to last for hours. She gave him a short, sweet, respectable kiss on the lips before turning away...

Remus and Tonks gave Annie an extremely rare set of books on havenry from the middle ages, books Annie had been looking for for a while. She was eager to finally be able to fully understand the extent of her powers..., Hermione and Ginny had gotten her some nice honeysuckle scented lotions and bathsalts. Luna gave her a pair of artichoke shaped earrings to match her radish ones (Luna also gave Hermione a pair of parsnip earrings and Ginny carrot earrings. The girls took this as Luna finally feeling like she had friends...) and her Dad, Sirius, gave her a new wand, rowan wood, her own hair as it's core (she thought she felt something weird as she was falling asleep a week ago...little did she know it was Harry and Sirius pulling out a few pieces of her hair with her muggle tweezers...) 9 and a half inches, light but powerful... It was the exact same as her old wand except the handle was made out of an almost crystal like material and had little blue jewels between where the wand and the handle met; it almost matched the necklace Harry had given her. She had lost her old wand when she was attacked in November. As she took the wand in her hand she could feel the magic surging through her whole body. She loved wandless magic, but she couldn't deny the effect that holding a wand in her hand did to her. She felt five times more powerful, more secure, more centered... He also gave her a book on animagi... and a note not to show anyone the book. She shared a knowing look with Harry wondering just what her father was up to... It seemed Harry was just as confused as she was..

Luna and Neville got sweets from Annie with an envelope attached that said not to open it until they were alone, among gifts from all the others.

Annie and Harry teamed together for Sirius's gift, they bought five beautiful black leather photo albums and filled them full of pictures. The first book were pictures of James, Sirius, and Remus at Hogwarts (they chose to leave pictures with Peter out...) that they had found in the attic while looking for Christmas decorations. The second was after Hogwarts pictures, mainly of James, Lily, and the few baby pictures of Harry that Harry had. The third was all of Annie as baby, toddler, and little girl. She had had the thickest, tightest, curliest hair as a little girl... The fourth book, was all that Sirius had missed after he fell through the veil... it was filled of pictures of the golden trio (since he often considered Hermione as good as another daughter,) the Order, Christmases and birthdays... and the last photo album was empty except for one picture; it was of Harry and Annie sitting next to eachother on what looked like the steps, Harry with one arm around Annie and his other arm holding the camera steady as she giggled. A note was fastened to the fifth book saying the rest was his to fill... Sirius could truly say it was the best Christmas present he had ever gotten...

Ginny and Annie were sitting next to eachother looking at pictures until they heard.."GINEVRA! ANNE! What did you do to this turkey?!" Mrs. Weasley's voice bellowed through the house as she looked in aversion at Walter Thaddeus Turkeypants...

Both girls turned their heads at the same time and shared a look of understanding before nodding and saying at the same time, "Run!" both yelling "Ahhhh!" in fear as they ran off, Molly Weasley chasing them, holding Walter the Turkey who bore a striking resemblance to Harry...

"Like I said, We're all going to die..." Sirius leaned back on the couch as Harry nodded..

* * *

**Christmas Time is Here...**

"It does kind of look like Harry," Hermione got a glare from Harry, "You know if you tilt your head a bit...other than that you er... can't er see it, I'm just going to stop talking now..."

"It does look like Harry..." Luna also tilted her head the same way Hermione's was placed...

"It has a name you know..." Annie and Ginny said at the same time as they too leaned their heads to the right... Hermione popped her head up...

"You named it! You named something were going to eat..."

"Well..." Ginny began

"Seemed like a good idea at the time..." Annie and Ginny slowly backed away...

"Let's just eat shall we? And get this over with..." The last part Mrs. Wealsey muttered under her breath as she walked away carrying Walter at arms length like he was a baby with a dirty diaper.

The all sat at the cavernous, long kitchen table; Annie next to Sirius who was acrossed from Harry who was sandwiched between Ron and Hermione who both wore looks of depression on their faces... Mr and Mrs. Weasley sat at the heads of the table with Tonks and Remus on Mrs. Weasley's end and Fred and George nearest their father's end... Luna and Neville were somewhere inbetween the hub bub...

"Er... who wants to carve the turkey...?" Mr. Weasley glanced at the men around the table.

"Yes, who wants to hack into my face first?"

"Ooo I do!" Annie shouted and jumped out of her seat all too enthusiastically earning herself questioning glares from the rest of the table. She sat down and smoothed her skirt, "Er.. I mean I believe carving the turkey is a er uh.. valuble life skill to er well um have and it would be er interesting, yes interesting to uh learn. Right... yeah..."

Harry had to think, what had he done to get his face hacked in to by his girlfriend...? Let's see he had her steal a station wagon, fend off death eaters, go to hogwarts and pretend to be a student, not to mention the whole leaving without telling her thing and then her finding out... but then again he did reunite her with her estranged innocent ex supposedly dead convict...

You could hear the silver ware clatter against the plates, chewing was their backround music, and silence was their conversation. Glancing at the clock, they had been eating for only five minutes but it felt like eternity...

"Okay everybody! Out with it! I can't take it anymore, what are we all bloody hiding from eachother?!" Annie slamed her fist against the table. They all gave her looks that said she was insane, "Oh stop lying! Stop lying to eachother, stop lying to your friends, but stop lying to yourselves! IF we can't trust eachother, we've got nothing! Do you all realize what witholding the truth will do to your so called friendship? It will eat you alive until nothing, nothing is left...Now talk." Annie sat back down and leaned back in her chair with an expectant look on her face..."Well go on then..." she shooed them on with her arms...

"Harry and Annie are dating!" Ron jumped back as literally the **_entire _**table shouted back at him, "Well duh!"

"Tonks is pregnant!" Remus spoke, but not too happily...

"Remus! Fine have it your way, Remus is too bloody afraid that the kid will be a werewolf that he doesn't want me to have it!"

"It is his isn't it...?" Ron asked as he was firmly swatted upside the head by Hermione,

"Of course it's his you idiot! Tonks isn't some scarlett lady..."

"Oh and you would know all about those..." Ron smirked to himself..

"And what's that supposed to mean? Just because we had SEX..." The entire room stopped their bickering to stare at the now blushing girl, Hermione sank in her seat as she shot daggers at Ron, if looks could kill...

"Fred I can't do this anymore..." George began

"Do what?" For the first time in his life, Fred had no idea what George was thinking...

"Fred has always harbored a secret desire to..."

"George no!"

"To fix Hermione's hair..."

"And what's wrong with my hair?" Hermione subconciously touched her head...

"Nothing it's just..."

"Arthur you cannot keep doing this forever! There are two worlds, muggle and magic! They are not meant to co-mingle! The nonsense has to end! You can not just keep bewitching toasters forever!"

"Harry's leaving soon! Sorry it just slipped out!" Ginny covered her mouth in shock that she just let it slip.

"Ginny!" Ron, Harry and Hermione said at the same time...

"Neville, you have nice socks..."

"Why thank you Luna..." There was some peace left in the room...

"Do you feel left out because I, I feel left out..." Sirius asked Annie as he waved his bit of turkey on fork in the air...

"I do! I feel slightly left out... I say we just jump in, rip off the band aid..."

"Are we insane for wanting to be part of a fight that will end with someone in tears, somebody pinned up against a wall, and someone with a bloody nose. Personally I don't know what sounds like more fun..."

"Well if we are insane, than I don't want to be sane. Quick! Just say something to make them hate you..."

"Go Voldemort!" Sirius stood up hoping to be recognized and quickly sat back down as people stopped their arguments for a moment, but then returned quickly back to their own matters... Sirius huffed and looked down, in dissapointment of his efforts. "Brilliant plan, it worked beautifully."

"You gave it your best shot..." Annie had to supress a smirk as she patted Padfoot on the back. She pushed back their plates and both of them rested their feet on the table as they watched the scene before them until someone muttered incoherently,

"Monkey monkey underpants!" Fred launched himself at George as the two wrestled on the floor ...

"Oh over there! Big Gesturing, big gesturing!" Annie pointed towards the other end of the room where Mrs. Weasley was acting something out quite animatedly with her arms. The two spectators hurriedly turned their chairs in hopes to see what was going down...

"I thinks she's about to take flight over there." Sirius chided as Mrs. Weasley's arm waves got bigger and bigger with time.

"Did she just call him..." 'No,' Annie thought to herself,'Mrs. Weasley wouldn't...'

"A three headed hag with a big fat hairy arse? Yup..." Sirius and Annie were silent for a few moments, until they looked at eachother and couldn't supress laughter any longer. He slowly gazed around the room taking everything in,

"What are you doing?" Annie mimicked his gaze.

"Taking a mental image of all this. I mean who would want to forget monkey underpants and three headed hags?"

"Not I, point well taken. Oh don't forget Walter the turkey." Annie folded her arms across her chest as she felt the cool metal of her necklace press against her skin

"Oh yes, we musn't forget Walter the Great Turkeypants."

"This is what I'm saying.."

"I will not name my son Fabio Lupin, Remus, I just won't!" Tonks' hair turned a dangerous red as her skin paled to liquid paper white face.

"And why not? It's a respectable name!" The vein in Moony's forehead began to pop out with his rage...

"It sounds like a dirty stripper! My child will not be a dirty stripper!"

"And what if he wants to be a dirty stripper? I've heard the dirty stripper business is actually quite successful. " Sirius was quickly silenced by the glowers on his cousin and friend's faces.

"One day, I'm going to write a book... and in this book there will be mentions of Walter the Great Turkey, underpants with monkeys, three headed hags, and streussel." Annie smiled at the chaos in front of her.

"I'd buy it. But may I ask, why streussel?"

"Highly underrated, poor little streussel, how the world has wronged it so."

"By far, best Christmas ever.." Sirius joked.

"Oh by far." Suddenly all the glares of angry faces turned upon two heirs of the Black family...

"I think- this may be- an excellent time- to run..." Sirius spoke gravely as he turned towards his daughter.

A couple of bandages and half hearted apologies later...

"This is excellent pudding Molly really. Definitely your best." Arthur spooned more pudding into his mouth.

"Why thank you Arthur."

"I think we have learned something important today. Like all families, it's better to lie, cheat, and steal from eachother and lie about the lying, cheating, and stealing. Agreed?" Harry waived his spoon around diplomatically as he spoke.

"Agreed." The table responded back, mouthes muffled full of pudding.

"Okay, who farted?"George asked as he sniffed the air disapprovingly.

"Ron!" Everyone shouted in unison.

* * *

**Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas**

Harry looked around his now bare room, he had packed it all, at least all that was important to him in his rucksack. There was nothing worse than looking from the outside in at the life you could have, the life you should have... especially when it was staring you right back in the face...

She watched him from the open door in the kitchen as he slowly made his way towards his two best friends who would stick with him to the end. Laughter clouded the air as Sirius and Remus told a story in the kitchen of their hay days at Hogwarts. But the laughter haunted the trio, like ice slowly freezing their every bone, like knives and daggers piercing their skin... almost taunting them to stay.

Blue eyes can be so kind, but the second they feel betrayed, or angry, or upset; they turn cold, permanently freezing the person they belong to until true happiness, more like their true love is brought back to them. This will change her, maybe not forever, but it will change her.

Harry took one last look at the house he had called home for such a short time, he had grown to like this old house, maybe someday he would return... He felt like he was stepping into his death.

It wasn't going to be an easy fight, at least he wasn't used to easy. But it would be worth it in the end when the wizards and witches of the world could finally call themselves free... He was leaving his family behind taking with him a brother and a sister, he hoped one day they could all be together without this wretchedness, but he could only do so if he left.

"You ready mate..." Ron slowly twisted the doorknob as Hermione took the redhead's other hand, carrying with her the small purse they would keep their essentials in.

Harry was in a daze as green met blue, almost competing with eachother. Her eyes gave him a feeling of disappointment that he wasn't going to say goodbye. But she smiled a bit for him, the corners of her mouth tiliting upward a bit instantly warming her gaze... She half heartedly put her hand up in a wave, but after a few seconds she turned away. She too had to fight, but it was quite a different fight from his, and she'd be damned if she failed.

"Let's go..." Harry's voice felt caught in his throat. The golden trio walked solemnly onto the front step and closed the door behind them, leaving the life they knew behind them.

"So where to boss..." Ron said with a bit of a smirk.

"Godric's Hollow, back to where it all began." Hermione and Ron apparated slightly before him, Harry placed on hand on the door as Annie placed her hand on the same spot, just on the other side. She closed her eyes as a single tear began to prickle her delicate cheeks, like pins trying to make her weep even more the tear burned. He took his hand off the door and apparated away, and she felt empty and wiped her lone tear that fell across her face.

"Goodbye Harry..."

* * *

**All that he wrote**  
Annie solemnly and silently walked up the stairs to her room and carefully shut the door behind her, she didn't need the whole house to follow her to see what was wrong when they heard a door slam... She sat down on her bed and saw something out of place. On her pillow was lying Harry's favorite dress shirt folded up, the mimbulus mimbletonia Neville had given Harry, and an envelope labeled _Blue_... 

She quickly opened the letter and stared in a gaze as she read it's contents, tears falling freely, staining the parchment it was written upon._  
_

Dear Annie,

Someday I hope you understand why I had to leave and maybe you already do, but I know understanding doesn't make it hurt any less. Letting go has never been a strong suit for me, but I guess it shouldn't be. Because letting go for a short while reminds me how much I love your smile, and your laugh, and the way your hair unquestionably smells of peppermint.

So all I ask of you, is to remember me when your feeling happy, not when your sad. Don't allow sad thoughts to tarnish your memory of the time we've spent together. So when the sun rises in the morning, that is me saying, I love you. When the night wind comes and the moon light's the sky that is me wishing you a peaceful sleep. If the wind tossles your hair, that's me giving you a kiss. And when the day seems long and ruff, and there's nobody to talk to, think of my arms wrapping around you, that is my way of telling you everything will be alright.

And if you ever truly need me, all you have to do is ask. Think of me, and I'll be there. It may feel like I'm gone, but I'll never truly be gone. Think of the words of your favorite song, and you'll find me there.

And someday, maybe not soon, someday you may fall in love with someone else. And that's okay, because all I truly want is for you to be happy. But there will always be a part of me that wants you to be mine...

And when the westward wind smells of salt and sea, that is when I'm truly gone. The one thing I can promise, is that wherever I am, I will always be thinking of you.

I love you more than you can imagine,

Harry...

* * *

Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood may have been in separate places but they were reading the exact same thing... 

(we hear Annie's voice narrating as Neville and Luna read silently)

_Dear Fred, George, Neville, Luna, and Gin;_

_Let me just start by saying I have no bloody idea on how to start this letter so just bare with these brief awkward lines. I'm just going to come out and say it, get things out in the open, you know rip off the band aid, bring on the pain... okay now I'm getting carried away and I'm rambling on paper which shows true signs of insanity... _

_Here we go, Harry.. well not just Harry, rather Harry, Ron, and Hermione would like to start... an army. An army that's prepared to fight Voldemort when the time comes. And they've asked me to put it together while their off on a mission from Dumbledore. But the thing is, I can't do it alone. And that's where you all come in..._

_Now I may not be as smart as Hermione, or as strong as Harry, or as funny as Ron. But I have a good heart. Maybe it's not about one of us being strong, and smart, and strategic, and funny. Maybe it's about identifying our flaws and our strengths and working together to make those weaknesses into strenghths. We're all experts at something. But we can't expect to know everything and be amazing in every aspect of our lives._

_If we band together, and we teach each other our different specialties, than maybe we can finally call ourselves strong. Think of us as separate, identical puzzles. But the pieces, they got mixed up somehow. So some of us have extra of the same piece while other's are in need of a piece. If we share our "puzzle pieces" than maybe one day we can become whole puzzles. Complete. Unwavering in our strength, and our bond of friendship. God that was cheesy, sorry guys..._

_You may ask, why? Why should I risk my life when I'll probably just die anyways. Yes, everybody does die eventually, we can't avoid that. And if you fight along side Harry, you may die. But don't you feel better, knowing that you'd be leaving this world doing everything you could to fight back. To fight what was wrong, to fight what was evil?_

_We're not fighting for honor, or fame, or even for our lives. We're fighting for love. And the knowledge that evil will never go away completely, but that we did everything we could to help stop it, at least for a short time. Pledge yourself with the hope, that your children, and your grandchildren, might be able to live a life not in fear, like we have, but in love._

_Harry needs us, and for me that's enough of a reason to fight, and I hope it is for you all as well._

_Love as always,_

_Annie..._

Neville got up suddenly a rush of accomplishment and pride went through his body as he walked with a purpose down the hall of his gran's house...

Luna smiled and grabbed her bright yellow cloak throwing it over her shoulders as she prepared to apparate back to Grimmauld Place...

* * *

Annie slowly decended the stairs preparing to join whatever guests were left in the house. But she rammed directly into someone halfway down the stairs... 

"Oh I'm sorry!" Sirius extended his hand to his daughter and pulled her up without any struggle at all. "I was just looking for you, and Harry, and Ron, and Hermione." he said as though he was crossing each person off a list in his head.

"Harry's gone, Ron and Hermione too..."

"What do you mean their gone?"

Annie smacked her forehead with her hand, "Ugh, Dumbledore left them something to do. I really shouldn't say anything, but you'll just want to know anyways. Horcruxes, their hunting down horcruxes."

"You mean a horcrux...?" Sirius looked at his teenage daughter quizzically, how she knew of the dark object was anyone's guess.

"No I mean horcruxes, six to be precise if you don't count Voldemort as one of them."

"So he's really gone...?"

"He's really gone?" Annie looked at the pain in Sirius's eyes, she just wished that everything could be different. She wondered what life would've been like if Harry had his parents and Annie had grown up with Sirius as her father figure. She just wondered what it would be like... "Have you ever, no nevermind it's silly..."

"No go ahead, have I ever what?" Sirius and Annie sat on the steps, him putting his arm around her protectively.

"Have you ever wondered, more like wished, that everything was different? You know, no death, no Azkaban, no war."

"I could be a brave man, a knowledgeable man and tell you that everything happens for a reason. But I would be lying if I didn't tell you that every day, I wish that everything was better, that all the problems that Harry, and you, and I have had could just disapear... Does that answer your question?" Sirius looked down at his daughter with kind eyes.

"Yeah I think so... Hey I'm going to go to bed..."

"And leave me to break it to Molly that her son is now galavanting through god knows where hunting down tiny pieces of Voldemorts soul?" Sirius gulped at the thought.

"Where's that Gryffindor courage?"

"It ran away, far.. far.. away..."

"Night.."

"Night love." Annie ascended the stairs as Sirius walked down them dreading his conversation with Molly that was about to insue.

She closed her door and put on the dress shirt Harry had left her, it smelt like Harry to her and that would have to do for now. She opened the drapes to the small window in her room and looked at the night's sky, the snow falling down and gracing the dreary street. She glanced up at the sky and saw one gleaming star and couldn't help but wish, "I wish everything was different."

* * *

Harry looked at the sky above the ruins of the Potter Cottage in Godrics Hollow. He saw one bright star as the snow clouded the rest of the sky. He sighed and couldn't help but wish, "I wish everything was different."

* * *

Sirius too looked out his window at the cool crisp sky, maybe Annie was right, maybe things could be different and he thought, "I wish everything was different."

* * *

**Way Back Into Love**

Time is a curious thing, a wise man once told us so. Time is effortless, and ticks on as though it has no care in the world. It is a loop of events and places that have no limits, and no end. Time is one continuous loop of ribbon that has no beginning and no end.

Wishes are similar to time. The imagination has no set limitations, you can dream up anything, you can desire everything, and if you wish you can truly change anything as long as you want it, desire it, and dream it enough. All you need is time...

So when we desire something so much that we would go back and do it all over again, time plays it's timeold (no pun intended) trick and redoes itself giving us a do over that we don't know we're recieving. Time is just hoping that by going back and adding a few wishes as variables, that things will work itself out and history will be rewritten.

Not to be confused with timetravel, as the desiree doesn't go back in time themselves, it's just time repeats itself giving it's inhabitants another whack at it. What I'm trying to say is, when three people wish for the exact same thing, at the exact same moment, and these three people have such a bond... well Time takes the hint and realizes, it's made a mistake, the loop rewinds itself taking the three out of their current world completely. They won't feel a thing, because they'll still exsist, just in their past selves and in their past's minds all Time is doing is simply moving backward, and then simply moving forward. Time After Time.

The END of Arms of the Angel, the beginning of something new...

_Author's note: This is not the end of the story of Harry and Annie. As I said, time is simply going to rewind itself giving their past selves another shot at it. I think of the past, the present, and the future as ever going things. They never stop, because time never truly stops. So their pastselves will have no clue of their futures. Basically, we're going back to 1980 to see how things could pan out..._

_This may not make sense at the moment, but it will when I start writing it. I will post this in this same fic thread so the story will still be in the Arms of the Angel link, just with another story after it. After things are 'fixed...' we'll wind up where we are._


	17. Back to Where it All Began

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or it's associated characters, JK Rowling does. I do however own the idea of Annie and Havens. _

_Time After Time_

_Back to Where it All Began_

_July 31st, 1980_

James Potter watched as his wife slowly bent back his normally sturdy left hand as she screamed obscenities about hurting his manhood, which made the young man shift nervously in his seat, unconciously guarding his 'manhood' with his free hand. His friends of many years doing nothing to help him out in regards to his current situation and sat in the corner of the room slightly afraid to move. He gave Remus, Sirius, and Gwen (Sirius's steady girlfriend of two years, who was also expecting) a pleading look to save his hand from needing amputation...

"Oh no, don't give us that look, you did this to her. You and your..." Sirius had to stifle a laugh as he mouthed the next word, manhood."

"James Harrison POTTER!!!" Lily tightened her clench on James' hand to the point of his hand turning liquid paper white, his knuckles and veins bulging out as if they were about to explode from the immense pressure. But to him it would be worth it in the end when he would hold the baby made out of his and Lily's love, but intense shrieking pulled him out of his reverie as healers annouced to the room that Lily was ready to push. Remus, Sirius, and Gwen silently left the room in order to give the two some privacy.

Lily's face and voice softened dramatically as tears and panic graced her lovely emerald green eyes, "James... what if I... what if I can't do this? I'm not ready, I'm not ready to be a mother! I don't know the first thing..." James soothingly shushed her, rubbing circles on her hand with his thumb.

"Lils, look at me..." He softly lifted her chin with his finger so he could look her in the eyes, "There's alot of things we can't control, like this war, or..." he whispered in a low voice so only the two could hear, "the prophecy, but this, this we can control. We can do this, okay?" Lily feebily nodded her head and got into pushing postion.

A few hours and many curse words later (Seriously you'd swear Lily was a sailor):

James walked out into the waiting area with a blue bundle held securely in his strong arms. The smile on his face was contagious to the rest of the room as he gazed at his son, and he walked towards his friends, which he noticed Peter was absent from...

"It's a little prongslet!" Sirius exclaimed as he walked towards his soon to be godson.

"What's his name?" Remus spoke up, walking over to James.

"Harry James Potter." James shone with pride as he showed off his son.

"Oh no," Moony faked a worried, panicked expression but you could see a glint of a smirk on his face and in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" James quickly glanced around the room...

"Lily named him after you," Remus started...

"We're doomed!" Sirius said gravely as James allowed him to hold Harry, "Hello Harry James, you are my favorite godson."

"He's your only godson," James quickly pointed out.

"That's probably a good thing," Gwen finally spoke up as she walked towards Sirius and baby Harry. If there was one word to describe Gwen, it was beautiful. She had the most unique celery colored eyes, honey brown hair, and creamy skin, she was American and Muggleborn which annoyed Sirius's family to no end. The features of her face were that of a porcelain doll's. She was petite, but could carry herself in a duel quite well. She cooed at baby Harry while looking at him over Sirius's shoulder.

Baby Harry was...perfect. The perfect blend of James and Lily in every way. He had a tuft of unruly jet black hair on his head that his mother had already attempted to smooth, and failed miserably; and his mother's clear emerald green eyes. James was sure only Lily and Harry's eyes were that distinct color green.

"Where has my son been squired off to?" Lily walked slowly out of her room, but as soon as she did James ushered her back in. "James! It's just childbirth! James..." But she was quickly cut off by her sometimes overprotective husband.

"Lils you stay here and I'll bring Harry to you." Lily looked as if she was about to protest but she agreed and James brought Harry to Lily in her hospital bed, bidding their friends goodnight. James carefully handed Harry to Lily who instantly smiled as she saw his emerald eyes open up for the first time and look directly at her.

"Well hello baby Harry," She sniffed his head, she couldn't describe the smell other than.. pink. "James smell him..."

"Lily if you want me to change his nappy just ask me, I don't have to smell him to know he..." He ducked as various pillows were thrown his way.

"It's not that, just sniff his head... doesn't he smell pink?" James picked up his son and carefully held him, slowly inspecting his...'pinkness.'

He sniffed Harry's head, he had to admit... Harry really did smell pink, how all baby's smell: perfect. He cleared his throat and put on his manliest voice, "Er... No he smells manly! Like a quidditch lockeroom or something...er... manly."

His beautiful redheaded wife just shook her head and said, "Boys..." she laid her head back, trying to fein off sleep that was slowly trying to take over her body.

"Lilyflower, you deserve some well earned sleep." He kissed her forehead.

"I'm too excited to sleep," she said pouting her lip, doing a perfect impression of a five year old. "Maybe your right, a nap would be nice since I'm sure this little one is going to be waking me up very soon anyways." Harry gurgled at this and Lily laughed. "Goodnight Harry James, I love you." Lily kissed her son's forehead and James turned off the light in the room.

"What do you say we go for a walk bud?" James took Harry in his arms and shut the door behind him as he walked down the dark and quite hallways of St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. "I'm going to fill you in on a little secret okay? Can you keep a secret? Good... Your mum and I have no clue what were doing.. shhh! Don't tell anyone." James chuckled softly, "But we'll teach you how to play quidditch, and how to pull pranks without getting caught... okay your Uncle Sirius and I will teach you how to pull the pranks, your mum won't be too happy with that will she? But no matter how clueless at this whole raising a baby thing we may be, I can promise you that we love you more than anything in the world, you got that? And no matter what that prophecy says, you'll always be safe with us..."

* * *

_January 23, 1981_

_Room 442_

Sirius paced the waiting room of St. Mungo's hospital nervously as he awaited any sign of news from the healers of room 442. He had been uncerimoniously kicked out of room 442 as 'complications' as the healers called it, arose while his fiancee' Gwen gave birth to their first child. He wasn't the type to freak out... Okay who was he trying to convince? Of course he was the type to freak out!

James, Remus, Peter (who was kind enough to grace them with his presence, he had been quite absent lately) Lily, and baby Harry who was bouncing on Lily's knee watched as Sirius paced up and down the hallway, muttering things under his breath. He had that mad, manic look in his eyes that James had only seen once before, which was when Sirius's mother had told him he was a disgrace to the wizarding population... James shook his head at this thought, Sirius wasn't a deatheater, he had never been to Azkaban, and he had never killed anyone and yet he was the family kook?

They all stood as a healer slowly and calmly walked out of room 442 and towards their friend who had put a moritorium on the pacing for now. But as soon as the healer walked towards Sirius he could tell he was about to hear some very bad news, Healer Jane wore a grave expression on her face as she solemnly spoke of what had happened...

James watched as Sirius bit back tears and slammed both his fists on the wall, finally succoming to the tears, allowing them to poor freely out of the corners of his brillant blue eyes. Lily jumped back at the sudden noise, but looked around to realize her husband and his friends were doing nothing to comfort the man. She gave Harry a kiss on the forehead and put him in James's arms and slowly walked towards her son's godfather, her friend, and timidly wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She rubbed his back soothingly as he cried it out. Lily had never seen Sirius cry before, she motioned her head at James to go into the room and see what happened...

He stopped in panic and pressed the sleeping Harry closer to his chest as he watched two healers gracefully pull back a white sheet over a young woman... a young woman he soon realized to be Gwen... If Harry hadn't squirmed in his arms he wouldn't have noticed a third healer wrapping a very well... alive baby in a pink blanket. His heart instantly melted... She had given birth to a little girl, and now that little girl was the only piece of Gwen, Sirius could ever have...

Anne Elyse Black, Annie for short was born a small 5 pounds and 4 oz on January 23,1981. She was absolutely perfect in her Daddy and Uncle James's eyes. Sirius was slowly getting over the shock that the love of his life had died and that he was a father... Anyone could see that he was more than a little stressed with planning funeral arrangements to picking out what color paint to adorn the walls of the nursery with. Lily and James stepped in when they saw just how spent he was, and made the offer that Sirius and Annie could move in with them until things settled down... In all honesty, James and Lily just wanted to spend more time with their Goddaughter and Sirius.

A few days later, Sirius was allowed to take Annie home from the hospital. They wanted to bulk her up a bit before sending her home, but had noticed something slightly peculiar... The baby never cried. Not when she had a dirty nappy, not when she was hungry, she just simply never cried. The healers just put it off saying she was just born premature and it would come naturally... But Sirius still thought it was strange.

He walked past room 442 one last time, carrying his baby girl wrapped up in a pink blanket. The room wasn't occupied so he decided to have one last look around the slightly haunting room... Glancing around the bare, depressing room he realized just how much he hated hospitals. He solemnly walked out of the room, and his eyes fell upon a plaque right next to the door that had _Room 442 _and _Gwendolyn Graham _inscribed on it. He knew that the name on the plaque changed as soon as a new patient was admitted... Sirius peered around the hallway, making sure no one was watching he carefully peeled the plaque off the wall, surprised it was just stickied up there with no magic at all, and pocketed it. Annie made a slight gurggle.

"Shhh... don't tell anyone and just so you know young lady, stealing is bad..." He walked to the lobby of St. Mungo's to join Lily, James and Harry, all going to the place they'd call home.

* * *

_October 31st, 1981_

_Who wants to be normal anyways?_

Sirius stormed through the back door of Potter cottage carrying a nine month old baby girl, dressed in pink overalls and a pink longsleeve shirt (Annie was wearing the pink, not Sirius...) His baby girl had grown quite a bit since January, but was still slightly small for her age. You could now start to see that she had Sirius's deep blue eyes and curly hair, but the rest of her was all Gwen.

Lily, James and Sirius had started to notice Annie displaying some odd behaviors compared to Harry. She still rarely cried and when she did it was only for a short moment. When she began to walk, she fell down a number of times hitting her head on the coffee table, but as soon as a goose egg would appear on her forehead, it would disapear within a minute. She didn't really sleep either, she'd close her eyes for five minutes and be completely refreshed. And then there was the odd display of accidental magic for a baby so young. Both Harry and Annie seemed to have a strange amount of control on the magic they performed. Most children at that age could accidentally change their eyebrow pink, but Harry and Annie's magic seemed intentional, like when they wanted a block, or a book, all the babies had to do was stick out their hand and the desired object would glide to their palm... Odd... very odd.

"So I'm guessing by the slamming of the door that things didn't go well?" Lily walked into the kitchen carrying in her arms Harry who was dressed as a very orange pumpkin, it was halloween afterall. Sirius shot a look of sympathy towards his godson before saying, "I am so very sorry little man." Orange was really not his color.

"Hey how did things go at St. Mungos? Oh dear lord..." James eyes widened as he set sight on his son and walked over to him and began to carefully take the horrid pumpkin costume off of him.

"James! I just put that on him! It's halloween for merlin's sake!" Lily stared at her husband crossly, her face turning about as red as his hair.

"Yes it is. And if Harry chooses to be a pumpkin later in life than I will fully support his decision..." This began a three minute conversation about pumpkins... Sirius just sat back and watched.

"Can you say Aunt Lily and Uncle James are crazy?" Sirius talked to his daughter who just gurgled and spit up on him in reply. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Sirius what do you think...?" Lily turned to Sirius asking his opinion on their...er pumpkin debate. Sirius had voiced his opinion before during one of their silly fights and ended up with a bloody nose... he had learned to remain neutral to all things concerning James and Lily.

"Nothing absolutely nothing. I think nothing." Sirius knew he just set himself up.

"Well we already knew that Padfoot. Say did we ask you how things went at the Healers?" James said, a mouth full of biscut. Lily normally would've told him off for talking while chewing, but she too was eager to find out what the Healers had said about Annie's odd behavior.

"Healthy, happy, content and normal." Sirius listed off in a monotone voice as James and Lily groaned. They had each been told the same exact thing any time Harry and Annie had baby checkups with the Healers. "But let me say, Annie hear is an old lady magnet. I got asked to the antique show... can you say score?"

"Didn't know you had it in you... Sirius Black, Old Lady Whisperer at Large. Champ." James mocked a proud and triumphant expression and patted his friend on the back.

"You'd think they could at least find something new to tell you... Sirius, aren't you going to be late?" Lily placed Annie and Harry in their respective high chairs and glanced quickly up at the clock that read 5:30. Sirius had his Auror's test tonight to see if he passed the program, James had taken it earlier in the day.

"Shit!" Sirius quickly grabbed a biscut, kissed Annie on the forehead and walked out the door.

"Good Luck!" Lily and James shouted...

"Should we have told him he has spit up all down his robes...?" Lily looked at James as a smirk played on his face.

"No, he'll figure it out eventually." At that moment Sirius walked back through the backdoor muttering something about changing his shirt under his breath and shooting glares at James and Lily who were laughing hysterically. Even Harry had a smile on his face. No one could've guessed that night would end so tragically. But maybe it didn't have to...

James watched as Harry wizzed around the room on the toy broom he had gotten his son, much to Lily's dismay who was reading a book to Annie while they waited for Sirius to come and pick Annie up and go back to Grimmauld Place. Sirius had decided it was time for them to move back home and they had been living there for a couple of months, of course they visited Godrics Hollow daily.

James looked out the window as he heard a strange noise coming from outside... and suddenly the door burst open and long black billowing robes came through. Voldemort liked dramatic entrances a little too much...

"Lily! Take the kids and run, I'll try to hold him off." Lily obeyed and escaped upstairs holding onto her son and goddaughter, slamming the door to the nursery shut, while grabbing her wand out of her jeans pocket and set both Harry and Annie in Harry's crib until James gave them the all's clear to leave. They had made a plan knowing this would happen, but all that ran through Lily's mind was who would betray them? Peter...

James was fiercly fending off three deatheaters as Voldemort quickly ascended the stairs, James ran as fast as he could towards the menace forgetting about the three deatheaters he was dueling, and was struck with a red jet of light and crumpled to the ground.

Lily turned around wand at the ready as the nursery door was broken down by a yellow colored hex. She instinctively ran over to the crib shielding the two babies from the cruel man as much as she could.

"Step aside!" The cold, high pitched voice rang through the small nursery, Voldemort moved his wand onto Lily.

"No! Take me, just leave them alone! Their just children..."

"Just children?!" Riddle laughed an unaturally sadistic and cold laugh before shooting a red jet of light at Lily, who emitted a high pitched scream before hitting the ground. He pointed his wand on the baby boy with unruly jet black hair and muttered the words, "Avada Kedavra!" He wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but the jet of green light seemed to rebound off the boy and back on him, and then he saw a flash of blue light envelope the girl, then the boy. And then it was all black...

Love, Albus Dumbledore would someday explain, would only save us. Order members stormed through Potter Cottage seconds after the Dark Lords demise, to find a still breathing James and Lily and what appeared to be two very normal babies, Harry only suffering a minor lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Annie seemed completely unaffected.

Order members Arthur and Molly Weasley were asked to watch over Harry and Annie until James and Lily were out of the hospital and they were convinced Sirius wouldn't hunt down the person responsible for betraying his friends. But he was able to convince them he wouldn't, and planned to take Harry and Annie back to Grimmauld Place. But Dumbledore said he could take Annie, but Harry would stay with the Weasley's seeing as it had been a stressful night and he didn't want Sirius to be burdeoned with having to take care of another child. Sirius grudgingly agreed.

After being assured he could visit the Potter's tomorrow, he apparated himself and Annie to the street leading to Grimmauld Place. He was just about to begin walking towards home when he was stopped by a rather plump figure in black robes... Peter...

Sirius instantly drew his wand and protectively hugged the sleeping Annie closer to his chest.

"You betrayed them Peter! Your friends! Where's your sense of loyalty? Your sense of friendship!? You betrayed them..." Sirius shook his head and spit in Peter's face...

"Oh no..." Peter said in a grave voice, "When I'm done here everyone will think you betrayed them." Peter turned slightly, and muttered a curse that blew up half the street, Sirius was blown back slightly and landed with a thud but was able to stand quickly back up. Then he saw Peter do something quite strange, he took a knife out and cut off on of his digits, throwing it into the blown up street. Sirius tried to stop the rat by throwing a few stupefy's but missed. Peter raised his wand and spoke clearly "Redu..." but was cut off.

A blueish dome errupted around Sirius and Annie coming from the palm of her hand, with her other palm was holding Peter's wand. At that very second Dumbledore arrived. But Peter was too quick, he transfigured into his animagus form and scurried off.

"Good job Annie," Dumbledore patted the little girl on the head.

"That is not normal..." Sirius said faintly before blacking out, the stress of the day finally taking it's toll on him... Did he mention he passed his Auror test? Dumbledore was able to levitate Sirius and pick up Annie before either hit the ground, he looked into the young baby girl's pretty blue eyes, "Yes Miss Black, you and young Mr. Potter certainly aren't normal."

Voldemort was gone, or so it seemed... and history itself had changed. Maybe Harry and Annie wouldn't lead such dreary lives afterall...Wizarding pubs were bustling that night as everyone toasted the end of the reign of Lord Voldemort and to Harry Potter, the boy who lived.

* * *

"My daughter's a what?" Sirius sat up a little more in his hospital bed after awaking from a nice dreamless sleep. 

"Harry was saved by what...?" James also straightened up a little as Dumbledore finished his story of the night's events.

"Honestly! Do you two ever listen?" Lily rested the book she was reading on her lap and looked at her husband and Sirius throwing her hands in the air for dramatic effect. Dumbledore smiled at their antics, they hadn't changed a bit. Remus was sitting in the corner of the room laughing, earning himself glares from the bedridden and returned his focus back on his former headmaster, listening intently on what he was about to say.

"What your telling us, is that Harry was saved by Lily's love?" James swallowed, this was alot to take in.

"Precisely James." The headmaster had a glint of pride in his eyes.

"Now explain to me again, what is wrong with Annie." Sirius began, and Lily gave him a look that clearly said, 'adjust your statement my friend.' "Please..." Sirius added, James laughed and Lily rolled her eyes.

"Sirius, your daughter is a Haven."

"That's so cool!" Lily accidentally blurted out, getting confused and humored looks from the rest of the room... she cleared her throat and composed her self... "Er.. continue."

"Havens are a rare breed of magical people," Dumbledore began captivating the attention of his four past students..."It isn't an inherited gene, or anything you can practice and acquire. It is simply a rare occurrence that has no real explanation, it is so rare that there are only four recorded Havens in history." Sirius and James paled at this and Lily and Remus nodded knowingly. "Havens as Annie demonstrated this evening, have the power to put up a protective dome called a safe harbor. With practice these harbors can guard against any spell. They also seem to have an affinity for wandless magic, telekinisis, and being able to 'Orb' as some people call it, to wherever help is needed."

"So what your trying to tell me is my daughter is a superhero?" Sirius smiled a bit.

"No Sirius, she's a part of a rare magical breed..." Lily went off on one of her tangents.

"Sounds like a superhero to me," James put in his two sense.

"This is what I'm sayin..."

"Sirius, we have superhero kids."

"Yours saved the world and mine is apparently well on her way."

Lily just shook her head and said, "Boys." Before Dumbledore left Lily stopped him, "Headmaster? Where are Harry and Annie?" She had been worrying about her son, and she knew Sirius was also worried about Annie.

"At the Weasley's. I believe they've made fast friends with Ronald and Ginevra." Dumbledore gave them a comforting smile and left the hospital knowing that in a matter of years Hogwarts would have some of it's greatest students yet.

We can't change everything in our lives that isn't perfect. Because without some heartache, without some pain, we'd never know we were truly alive. So we get past the rough spots and the unexpected twists and turns the best we can. Time ticks on, time after time after time.

* * *

_Author's Note: Hopefully this is starting to make sense to everyone. I know not a ton happened in this chapter, but as you can see history is already slowly starting to change. Harry will be off to Hogwarts in the next chapter, and then Annie the next year. I may skip over alot of Harry's first year, since this story is about Harry and Annie... If you could please take some time and leave a review I'd be extremely happy! Good or bad, i'd like to know what you all think. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you at the next chapter._

_PS: I have some pics of what Annie's supposed to look like and other characters I've made up. If you go to photobucket and search the account swhite0123 you should be able to see them. _


	18. Merely Just Memories

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or it's associated characters, JK Rowling does. I do however own the idea of Annie and Havens.**

_Time After Time_

_Merely just memories..._

_1991_

Harry, Ron, Ginny, Sirius, James, and Annie were playing a pick-up game of Quidditch at Potter Manor. Potter Manor was James' parent's house before they passed away. James and Lily often felt guilty that they didn't think to stay there while they were in hiding, considering Potter Manor had more protective charms on it than Hogwarts and Gringotts combined. It was majestic, almost castle-like on the outside but homey on the inside. Harry and Annie spent most of their free time (after their homeschooling with Lily, who offered to also homeschool Annie with Harry since Sirius like James was a head auror) exploring the grounds which included an amazing Quidditch Pitch, and some long and twisting gardens;which were the reason the Potter's found out Harry was a parslemouth as he had a conversation with a garden snake one day, they also explored inside the vast library and the hallways that seemed to go on and on and on.

The Potters, the Weasleys, and the Blacks (the sane ones) had all become good friends over the years. Ron and Harry were buds, and Annie and Ginny were friends, but nothing could step on the friendship Harry and Annie had. They had been best friends since birth, and nothing would tear them apart.

Harry had displayed an immense amount of power whenever his accidental magic occured, often changing the weather patterns or lighting something on fire. As far as the boy who lived stuff went, Harry hated the attention it brought to him, and was often modest about his achievments in schoolwork, quidditch, and magic in general. At the age of ten (almost eleven he would point out) he looked like a miniature version of James, the untidy black hair and the glasses. But of course, his eyes were all Lily's. Harry seemed to have inherited his father's ability to play quidditch, but wasn't as mischievious as his father had been at his age, which Lily was thankful of. He was a good student, but would rather be out playing quidditch, but ultimately was looking forward to Hogwarts.

Annie like Dumbledore had said, showed a true ability for wandless magic, she could do some simple spells with guidance from Lily, James, or Sirius, which was amazing for a nine year old. Luckily both Grimmauld Place and Potter Manor had charms around them so both Harry and Annie could perform some underage magic, much to Lily's dismay since she normally had to clean up after these 'experiments of magic.' Annie had an aptitude for learning, and passed anything Lily set in front of her, she loved to read but she wasn't as bookish as our future Hermione, she had a good work ethic and morals and respected adults, but knew how to have fun often playing a few minor pranks around Grimmauld Place knowing her Aunt Lily would kill her if she did at Potter Manor. The girl knew she was a haven and had actually studied some of the very few records of Havenry with Lily as part of her school work, but she didn't seem particularly fased by it. Sirius had decided that Annie being a haven would remain a secret to the outside world seeing as they were rare and she would probably get the same kind of attention Harry got for being the boy who lived. As a new 'power' as they had taken to calling them arrived Annie's body would go into a kind of shock, she seized and her veins could be seen through her skin as they turned a bright blueish green... It was quite scary to anyone who didn't know what was happening, so the adults kept a close eye on her around those times...

Lily was actually quite proud of her teachings so far, if she were to guess she'd say Harry and Annie were at least at second year level in their readings and could do some basic first year charms. But of course she didn't tell them this not wanting their heads to get too big... although that would prevent them from playing quidditch (which she thought was dangerous) if they had immensly large heads... Hm.. something to think about...

Harry and Annie danced on their brooms in mid air from torso up, as Annie who was playing keeper blocked a goal as Harry and Sirius took the quaffle away and scored for their team. Sirius, Annie, and Harry's team was up 150 to 50 verses James, Ron, and Ginny's team. They were playing with one keeper and two chasers on each team, dropping the beaters and seekers even though seeker was both Harry and Annie's favorite position.

"You wanna be me but you can't be me, uh huh..." Both Harry and Annie sang as they danced, so they were a little cocky when it came to quidditch, but could you blame them? They were rockstars...

"That's it!" James Potter threw his arms in the air signaling defeat, "That's the last time we put you two on a team together..."

"Hey! I had a part in it too!" Sirius said mocking jealousy...

"Sure you did..." Ron, Ginny, Harry, Annie and James all said at the same time in monotone voices...

"You lot get down here! Diagon Alley waits for no man!" Lily hollered from the ground and ducked as six witches and wizards on brooms circled around her. "Ron, Ginny you can come with us if you'd like and your mum will meet us there."

A few hours later...

"So...is it you know strange that I have Voldemort's brother wand?" He whispered so just the two could hear as the Weasley's, the Potters, and the Blacks ate lunch at the Leaky Cauldron after their school shopping spree.

"No..." Annie lied at first and paused to think, "Except it so totally is..."

"Thanks Annie, really."

It had been a stressful day for Harry and Annie as they were hounded by the press about the boy who lived crap Harry hated so much... Annie was questioned merely because the wizarding world knew she was in the same crib and nothing more.

* * *

The Train whistled loudly as Harry set his sights on the Hogwarts Express. It was the most vibrant red he had ever seen in his life, he couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts, especially since last night his dad happened to slip the invisbility cloak and marauders map under Harry's pillow with a note that said if he told his mother he'd be in for it, which typically meant tickle torture or pranks in James's book. Harry felt a pair of arms pull him into a literally breathtaking hug and all he could see was red hair... 

"Mum...need...oxygen." Harry wheezed as his mother relunctantly let go of her only child. She held Harry at arms length as though she was giving him a final inspection, she smoothed his untameable hair down one last time. It stuck back up the second she removed her hand from his head.

"Lily you do realize your fighting a never ending battle when it comes to **the hair**..." **The hair**, as James and Lily had begun to call the mop of black mess atop their son's head. "You better get on the train before it leaves, see you at Christmas son." James ruffled the hair, as Lily huffed, she had afterall just tried to smooth it. Harry laughed at his parents antics, they fought alot but it was always stupid, little funny things. Lily enveloped her son into a hug one last time...

"Promise to write? Don't get into trouble, keep up on your homework, don't break too many rules alright?"

"Alright Mum..." They heard someone clear their throat behind them and turned to see Sirius and Annie had joined the goodbye party.

"What are you two doing here?" Harry blurted out in surprise.

"Rescuing you of course," father and daughter replied at the same time. Harry's face wore a confused expression as Sirius and Annie sighed like it was so painfully obvious,

"Oh really Harry, are you that painfully slow?" Annie said indignantly, but the smirk on her face told him she was joking. He was used to this by now, it was their thing.

"You know I'm slightly offended at that statement and will proceed to pout."

Sirius and Annie pulled Harry away from the group for a second,

"We were,"

"Saving you from."

"The deathclench of."

"your mother..." And Harry thought Fred and George were the only ones who could talk like that. Quite truthfully it gave him a headache.

"But what were really trying to say is," Annie started.

"Goodbye Pup,"Sirius gave his godson a hug

"Oh come on people! He's not shippin off to 'Nam." Annie interupted the tender moment...

"Beautiful sentiment Anne, really just a hallmark moment..."

"Say it," Harry let go of Sirius and walked towards Annie,

"Say what?"

"Say it!"

"Oh right! I'm really gonna miss you," She gave her best friend a respectable hug, before mentioning just loud enough so the adults could hear, "Don't forget to pull some pranks for me."

"Excuse me young lady?" Lily said as James and Sirius went to their happy places...

"Sorry Aunt Lily, let me rephrase that, don't forget to pull some really awesome history making, jaw dropping, risky detention earning misdemeanors in the form of a prank for me. Better?" Lily just rolled her eyes as the train whistled hurrying them along. She gave Sirius a look that said, Only your daughter...

"What I didn't teach her the word misdemeanor!" Sirius put up his hands in defense.

"You better get on if you don't want to miss the train!" Mrs. Weasley called from down the platform, Harry gave one last goodbye to his family and friends and got on the train sharing a compartment with Ron... On the journey they met a nervous boy named Neville who lost his toad, Harry decided to invite him to sit with them. Then they met a slightly bossy girl named Hermione who was assisting Neville in looking for the toad. Thinking it better to be a good person, Harry also invited her to sit with them and she gladly accepted.

He had already made an enemy in Draco Malfoy, but considering the history between their two families it was really just a right of passage. Harry was glad to see his good friend Hagrid, who had come for frequent visits with him and the Potters at Potter Manor. He would have to remember to tell Annie that Hagrid said to tell her hello...

His first year at Hogwarts had been an exciting one, fighting a Mountain Troll to save Hermione after Ron said something rude to her, Quidditch games, and saving the Sorcerer's Stone from Quirrell/Voldemort.

_1992_

Harry awoke in the hospital wing of Hogwarts school. The sun streamed through the open windows and the morning dew smelt sweet, and almost had a calming affect to it. Harry turned over on his side and hurriedly tried to find his glasses, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"The stone! Professor what happened to the stone?" Harry shot straight up in bed, wincing as he felt pain in his torso and ribs. He must have fallen hard.

"Calm down Harry, the stone is no longer a problem, merely just a memory." Dumbledore gave Harry a kind smile before continuing on, "I would assume you are wondering what happened after you blacked out?" Harry nodded weakly, "I suppose I should answer your questions before I summon your family. May I say they were quite concerned."

Harry groaned inwardly, he would do anything to escape the wrath of Lily Potter. He turned to face more towards the headmaster and began, "How long have I been here sir? How are Ron and Hermione?" He remembered Ron being injured badly after taking a nasty fall off of McGonagall's chess set.

"You have been here for three days my boy. Your friends, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, and Miss Granger are all fine and doing well, but are worried more about you."

"Sir what about the stone? Quirrell wanted it for You Know Who." Harry felt he had failed if Quirrell had gotten the stone.

"Ah, the Philospher's Stone." Dumbledore looked in deep thought for a few moments, as though he was sorting through conflict in his mind, "Rest assured that neither Proffessor Quirrell or Voldemort are in possesion of the Stone, Harry. When I made it, I just saw Voldemort's soul fleeing the room. I would have gone after him, but I was more concerned about you. As for the stone, it has been destroyed."

Harry paled at the thought, "But sir, doesn't that mean Nicholas Flamel and his wife will die?"

"I'm afraid so. Nicolas and I agreed it would be best to destroy the Stone, lest Voldemort or someone else make another attempt to retrieve and use it. But, they reassured me that they had enough Elixir of Life to allow them to set their affairs into order." Dumbledore explained further after seeing Harry's worried face, "Do not worry Harry, for they have lived a long and wonderful life together. To the well organized mind, death is but a great adventure." Harry pondered this thought as Dumbledore stared off humming a tune of his own accord.

"Professor," Harry said at last, "I was thinking, now that the Stone is gone, does that mean that Vol- Volde-, I mean You-Know-Who…."

"Say his name, Harry," Dumbledore said kindly, "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."

"Alright sir. Without the stone, will V-Voldemort ever return? He's not gone is he? He's still out there somewhere..." Harry gulped as he imagined that thought.

"I'm afraid you are correct, dear boy. Perhaps, he is still out there somewhere, trying to acquire a new body. But seeing as he is not truly alive, he cannot be killed. Even so, you have delayed his return to power. There are ways he could return to his original state and he has followers besides Quirell to help him. But if he is delayed, again and again and constantly thwarted, he may never return to power, and that is saying something."

"Sir, why is it that Quirell couldn't bare to touch me? It almost seemed to... well burn him." Harry shuddered.

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said, "Well, Harry, when Professor Quirrell started drinking unicorn blood to keep Voldemort alive, he became as evil and monstrous as Voldemort. You have on you a mark granted by your mother when she tried stand between you and Voldemort."

Harry's hand went to his forehead to touch his scar.

"No, not that scar or any physical mark," Dumbledore continued, "but a mark of love within your very skin. Something so good and pure could never be understood by Voldemort, and it put him in such agony to touch it.This is a power he knows not... the power that will finally defeat him."

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" He heard both his mother and his father yell as the doors to the infirmary were opened by pure rage and magic.

"Ah I believe those who love you are here. If you'll excuse me.." Dumbledore left in a haste after glancing at Lily with a look of pure horror.

'Coward,' Harry thought to himself.

He had asked Dumbledore and his parents why Voldemort came after specifically him, but both parties changed the subject rather quickly... Of course his mother was livid with him for breaking so many school rules and risking his life, so he was grounded and confined to his room for the first month of summer...

The first two weeks of summer went by rather slowly as Harry chose to get as much of his homework done during his grounding as possible. He hadn't seen Ron, Hermione, or Neville since they left the platform, and he hadn't seen Annie since Easter holiday's. He made quick strokes with his quill in attempts to get his potions homework done as quickly as possible. He quite frankly hated the subject, but that was probably due to who was teaching it, not the topic itself...

He got out his ruler and measured the parchment, crossing his fingers in hopes it would be long enough. But it just came up short about five inches. No matter how big he wrote, Snape's essays always came up short.

Harry heard a knocking on his door and turned around to see his mother come in,

"Harry can I speak with you for a moment?" She sat down on his bed and motioned for him to join her, Harry sat down and his mum put her arm around him. "Harry I want you to understand, your dad and I... we aren't punishing you from saving the stone. That was a very brave and noble thing you did, and we're prouder of you than you could ever know, but you should have asked for help. You could have told someone if you had had suspicions... Alright?"

"I know mum... I know... Do you think you could help me with my potions homework?"

"I think I just may be able to. What's the essay about?" Lily and Harry went over to the desk in his room.

"Reactants in potion ingredients and what happens when mistakes in potions are made. Also the uses of every ingredient in such potions." Harry jotted off.

Lily bit her lip and furrowed her brow, "That seems a bit over the head of the average second year..."

"Yeah well, Snape has it in for us." Ron, Hermione, Neville and Harry had all come to this conclusion after the first week.

"It's Professor Snape, Harry, and I'm sure he's just trying to er.. challenge you all."

"Sure he is..." Harry rolled his eyes as soon as his mother's eyes left his face and focused in on his paper.

She chewed her lip as she read through his essay, it seemed he had covered just about everything, "It seems like you did a really good job to me, what's the problem?" Lily looked towards her son in confusion.

"It's not long enough, I need at least five more inches of writing."

"Why don't you try focusing more on the effects of misusing the ingredients in wolfsbane."

"Alright, thanks mum." Harry smiled and began to write again. "Oh and mum, love you."

Lily pause at the door, and her heart melted, "Love you too kiddo, I'll ask Binky to tell you when it's time for lunch." Binky was one of the two houselves that worked at Potter Manor. They were free elves, earning payment and days off, seeing as James and Lily wouldn't have it any other way.

About fifteen minutes later Harry heard a tapping on his window, he went over and couldn't believe what he saw... He opened it so his mother wouldn't hear...

"Annie Black what are you doing...?" Harry shook his head and laughed. Outside his window was Annie on a broom hovering...

"Ah you know I was in the neighborhood... Rescuing you of course!"

"You seem to be doing alot of that lately..."

"Well if you weren't such a daimsel..You must be bored out of your mind..."

"How'd you...?" Harry wondered just how she got out of Grimmauld Place without being caught.

"Nevermind how, just let me in will you? It's hot as.." Harry swung his french windows open and ducked as Annie zoomed in making a graceful landing on her feet.

"Show off..."

"You know it."

"So how'd you get here?"

"Well we all know Kreacher..." The houself neglected Annie and Sirius more and more each day, normally she would either hang out with Harry or Ginny during the summer but today she just wanted to curl up and read... then she got the idea to visit Harry. They were interupted by a faint pop and the appearance of a houself we would come to learn was Dobby...

"Harry Potter is in grave danger!" The house elf said with his big puppy dog eyes...

"Yeah well what's new..." Harry and Annie both said at the same time.

"Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts!" They had to stop Dobby many times from hitting himself with a lamp shade and making any noise in general, not wanting Lily to come up and check on Harry, and then find Annie, and on top of it all find a houself who's telling her son he's in grave danger... something told the two Lily wouldn't take it well.

"So... what are you thinking?" Annie spoke as soon as Dobby left.

"I don't know, what do you think?"

"Okay first off not fair, you can't reverse the 'What are you thinking' like that! And Secondly, isn't Hogwarts the safest place in the world?"

Harry chuckled, "If you forget the Three headed dog guarding a trap door, that lead to Devil's Snare, killer flying keyes, a murderous chess set, poisnous potions, not to mention a professor with Voldemort sprouting out the back of his head. If you forget that than oh yeah, it's safe..."

"You see, I was willing to overlook all that."

"Harry! Lunch!"

"I better go before your mum catches me! Are you sure you're okay?" Annie picked up the broom and headed towards the window,

"Yeah I'm fine. Afterall what's a year of school without incroaching death?"

"See that's the optimism I know and love." Annie winked, "Are you gonna tell your parents?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Are you and idiot?!" She said her voice rising into a squeel.

"Right point taken. No, they don't need to know..."

"I'm sure they'll appreciate you saving them the trouble," Annie said in a salty tone, shook her head, mounted her broom and flew out the window just before Lily opened Harry's bedroom door.

* * *

_Author's Note: Phew... so now we're dealing with The Chamber of Secrets and Annie making it to Hogwarts. How will Hermione and Annie get along? What surprises come during the sorting? What house do you think Annie will be sorted into? Will we ever hear from Peter Pettigrew again? _

_That was really just a filler chapter, I hope it wasn't too boring for you all. Next chapter will have alot more meat to it. Just to let you all know, I'm starting my freshman year in highschool on Tuesday, so updates may take a little longer seeing as I don't know my work load quite yet. But I will never abandon the story, seeing as it's really just begun and I will never go two weeks without updating. Hope to see you at the next chapter which I hope to have out by Saturday or Sunday. Hope to see some reviews/thoughts on what you all liked and didn't like in this chapter. It really helps me make the story better and I would hope more enjoyable for you all if I know what needs improvement. And now that my author's note is about as long as my chapt, I'll sign off._

PS: Major thanks to _MerlinGodricRowenaHelga_ and _BeastandtheHarlot for their reviews_

Thanks to _mrspatrickdempsey, marine-girl-for-life, loveatfirstsight1291, jolly-for-heart07, Monica Ryan, MerlinGodricRowenaHelga, and BeastandtheHarlot_ for keeping this story on their favs

Thanks to_ mrspatrickdempsey, PotterCrazy1, Monica Ryan, MerlinGodricRowenaHelga, and BeastandtheHarlot_ for putting this story on their alert...


	19. Oggling the Mancandy has Consequences

_Author's Note: Until I get to Harry's fourth year, Annie's third, I'm going to only write about the most important events that way it doesn't get extrememly boring for you all. Unless of course you all would like me to write it all out, if so just tell me in the review section. Also, whoever finds the out of place period descrepincy first, I will email you part of the next chapter in a day or so. Sorry this took so long to get out, school started, so it's crazy. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or it's associated characters, JK Rowling does. I do however own the idea of Annie and Havens.**

_Time After Time_

Older Annie Voice Over: Thinking, it's a basic human condition. Using your brain, it sounds easy enough, right? Unfortunately, in life, we tend to be completely and totally brainless, acting on impulse and feeling rather than what our mind tells us the logical thing is to do. But have you ever considered the fact that maybe not all decisions can be logical? That sometimes...you just have to listen to your heart. Until then, I guess we're screwed...

_Summer 1992, Oggling the Mancandy_

Diagon Alley was hustling and bustling with wizards and witches young and old who were all in search of various items needed for the start of a new school term. The shopping district was considerably busier than usual, due to Gilderoy Lockhart's book signing... Lily, Annie, Ginny, and Molly all went to Flourish and Blotts to get all the books the children would need, while James, Sirius, Ron, Harry, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr. Weasley went to Quality Quidditch Supplies, Percy complaining the whole way...

"Well Percy, we know you wanted to see Gilderoy but..."

"He's just not into men at this time in his life." Fred and George stuck their hands to their hearts and sniffled, Percy huffed indignantly and went off to join the women and girls at the book store as Sirius, James, Harry,Ron, and even Arthur chuckled.

Lily and Annie were leaning against the wall of the bookstore as Ginny and Mrs. Weasley waited in line to get their books signed. They shook their heads and sighed as Gilderoy pranced out in all his glory, Lily swore the man spent more money on hair products than she did...

"Hey Perce, come to oggle the mancandy...?" Annie said in a bored, unamused tone as she yawned... and then thought to herself, Lily must be really zoned out to not yell at her for saying mancandy and oggle in the same sentence...

"For your information Anne..."

Annie had never particularly liked Percy, "I really..just.. don't care."

At that point Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Arthur, and James joined the group in the overcrowded book store full of female admirers of Gilderoy Lockhart. Annie noticed someone missing from their group...

"Hey, where's my dad at?" She peered over the heads in the crowd but couldn't see Sirius anywhere...

"Er..." Mr. Weasley started...

"He is...er... doing something..." James began

"Important and er..."

"Important..."

"You two are terrible liars..." Lily pulled out of her reverie and smirked at her husband, frowning as she tried to fix his extremely untidy hair, which began the inevitable bickering match distracting them from what was about to happen.

Lockhart gazed around the room, when his eyes set on Harry, before Harry knew it he was pulled on the podium with Lockhart before James and Lily could stop it. Unfortunately, Lockhart being the publicity hound that he was also pulled Annie, known as 'Girl-who-was-in-the-crib' in contrast to Harry's 'Boy-Who-Lived.' Straw head, (what Annie was calling Lockhart in her head) pulled both of them in by their forearms for a photo-op.

"Ow! There's a real arm under there!" Annie almost hit the man with her flip flop but refrained... she felt another firm hand grab her on the other side, which turned out to be James. Lily had grasped onto Harry's free arm as well, both adults were trying to help them escape the deathgrip of Straw Head, but he had an extremely tight grip...

"Let me go!" Harry and Annie were literally being pulled in two directions, and both had looks of murder on their faces... James and Lily weren't that happy either.

This was enough of a distraction for Lucius Malfoy, who no one had noticed quite yet, to slowly walk over to Ginny Weasley and carefully drop his ex-master's seemingly worthless blank journal into her cauldron along with her school books. He swiftly moved away, not a one suspecting a thing...

At the same time Annie had a thought, she felt slightly threatened by Straw Head... she was in pain, and could tell Harry was too. Bad thought... bad bad thought... Annie's eyes squinted on their own accord and Gilderoy Lockhart went flying backwards. She couldn't really describe it, but she felt a surge of power rush through her, and he just kind of effortlessly floated away...

Harry also felt a release of power as lights flickered and a gust of cold wind came through the open windows of the shop. Rain began to pour down hard outside...

"Crap." Annie said breathlessly...

"Bloody hell..." Came from the mouth of Ronald, of course.

"Guess we can check telekinisis off the list... Changes the freakin weather and sends men flying backwards, devil children..." James muttered half joking, as Annie and Harry just stood there in shock... until they were uncerimonioulsy and thankfully pulled out of the store by James and Lily where they ran into Sirius who was carrying something and had a confused and concerned look on his face as he saw red marks all up and down Harry and Annie's arms...

"What happened? Weather patterns don't change that fast unless Hurricane Harry here is upset..."

The foursome replied in the same anger filled hiss, "Gilderoy Lockhart."

"That publicity hounding..." But Lily sushed him before he got too colorful with his word choice.

"The important thing is everyone's okay, we may have to floo Albus though..." James was red in the face but was trying to control his anger, he hated Lockhart with every fiber of his being.

"Why?" Sirius was utterly confused, which wasn't unusual but...

Annie was given a nudge by all three Potters, "I may have... accidentally..." James coughed, "I blasted Lockhart a few feet in the air and into a tumbling wall of books... that's er you know...all..."

"That's all?! That's all!!" Sirius hunched over into hysterical laughter, ocassionally making an unidentifiable noise...

"Well at least he's not mad." Lily pointed out optimistically...

"Depends on which definition of mad you go by." James spoke and began to laugh too... he was laughing at the laughing which was insane, but we were talking about a rather insane group of people here.

"Are they okay?" Harry asked his mother, slightly concerned for his father and godfather's sanity...

"I don't-think-so..." Lily bit her lip...

It was then that they noticed Sirius was previously carrying an owl's cage, with a pretty greyish blue owl with stunning blue eyes. They would find out later that this owl was a gift from Sirius to Annie.

"I vote we walk away, all in favor?" Annie said as Lily raised their hands in mock agreement. They slowly walked away, giving the boys time to realize they were being left alone.

* * *

Dumbledore stepped through the fireplace of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place late that warm summer's evening. Annie was surprised at how calm the headmaster was in everything that he did. He agreed that Annie was getting a new power, and was quite concerned to have a tempermental (at best) Haven wandering the halls of his school. 

Sirius dared to suggest that Annie not go to Hogwarts at all, to which he flew through the air and slammed his head against the wall. Annie sheepishly smiled, "Sorry..."

"You'll have to learn to control your thoughts Miss Black, it does not do well to dwell on the things we have no reign over."

"Yes, sir..." Annie felt like she was being scolded for something that wasn't in her control...

"I best be going, I hope to see you at the start of term, Miss Black." Dumbledore stepped to the fireplace/floo in one swift motion, and after he bid goodbye to Sirius, he called out in a clear voice, "Hogwarts, Headmaster's Quarters," and was gone.

Sirius winced as he got up, he never realized how hard walls were. He sat next to Annie and put his arm around her, "So, how are you feeling?"

"I think I should be asking you that." Annie said darkly gesturing to the goose egg growing on Sirius' forehead.

"Annie... this thing, it isn't your fault." He gave her a reasuring squeeze on the shoulder and sighed.

"Well it feels like it is!" Annie stormed off and stomped all the way up to the top floor of Grimmauld Place, where the piano was. He listened closely and heard _Hey Jude_, and knew not to dare go up there. That was Annie's, "I'm pissed off don't mess with me song" however mellow it may be...

Meanwhile at Potter Manor:

Harry, Lily, and James were sitting at their kitchen table where they almost always ate, except for Christmas and Easter. Normally they talked amicably about their days but they each seemed preoccupied with other, more important thoughts.

"You know, I've been thinking..." James started... Lily chuckled and snorted...

"Sorry, bad habits die hard... Now you say you were thinking..." Lily supressed as smirk, opposed to Harry who was laughing openly.

"In the hopes of being the bigger person, I'll pretend I didn't hear that..." James scoffed jokingly, "Harry, I was thinking that it might be a good idea for you to keep an eye on Annie at school. I mean we obviously won't be there to watch her or help her out... so... Look I'm not saying you need to glue yourself to her side or anything, just if she turns blue and starts seizing in the middle of a corridor, pull her out of sight..." James procceeded cautiously like he needed to sell his idea...

"She's my best friend, I was planning on it anyways." Harry said decisively...

Lily and James shared a look of pride, they had raised their son to be a good friend and a good person...

Before they knew it Harry had turned twelve. The Potter's hosted a small party at Potter Manor inviting some of Harry's school friends such as Ron, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Parvati, Lavendar, and then family friends like Sirius, Annie, Remus, and the Weasleys. Hermione couldn't make it due to taking a summer long vacation to the states with her parents.

* * *

The train blared and the conductor made it's last calls, as Annie, Loyld the Owl, and Ginny boarded the red Hogwart's Express for the first of many times to come... Fred, George, Percy, Annie, Ginny, James, Lily, Sirius, Arthur, and Molly had all gone through the platform before Ron and Harry who were no where to be found. 

Ron and Harry literally rammed their shoulders into Platform 9 and 3/4 receiving many strange looks from onlookers and passersby. The gate was blocked!

Lily, James, Arthur, and Molly searched the platform for their sons as the Hogwarts Express pulling off into the distance acted as a backdrop. While Lily and Molly chose to search the rest of the train station, James and Arthur decided to check the parking lot, maybe the boys had decided to meet their parents at the car... But James had the feeling that Harry, much like himself at that age, wouldn't think...And luck would have it, that Ron and Harry **did** take the Ford Angelina.

Lily Potter and Molly Weasley, were fuming. James didn't think it was possible but both redhead's faces turned even more red than their firey hair. He almost felt bad for Harry and Ron, and decided he and Arthur should stay out of the country the day their wives get ahold of their sons. James couldn't deny though, his son stealing a flying car made him a little bit...proud. Maybe with Annie, at Hogwarts, Harry would put good use to that Marauder's Map.

Ginny and Annie slowly made their way through the masses of students on the crowded train. After looking through all the full compartments, they couldn't find Harry or Ron, nor could they find a seat. They finally settled on a compartment in the back, with one person who had their nose in a book. The redhead and the brunette plopped down excitedly on their seats and gazed out the window...

"Gin, what do you think it's like?" Annie pressed her head and leaned against the window. She spoke in a kind of naive voice that wasn't her own, more anxious and almost dream like than her normal voice.

"What do you mean?" Ginny tucked her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"I mean, Hogwarts, what do you think it's like?" Annie sighed lulling into a daydream as the train slowed down and began a regular pace. As she gazed out her window she saw the country; sheeps, goats, rolling green hills that seemed never ending, and grey mountains in the distance. The summer leaves turned to autumn, canoping the sky with deep reds, soft yellows, and pumpkin orange. There was something so calming about staring at life as it slowly passed you by...

"I don't know, I guess... big...?" Ginny laughed a little as Annie threw her an, "I knew that..." face. Annie noticed the ends of her fingers twitch a bit...odd... "What do you think it's like?"

"Just, safe..." Annie replied simply, a snort came from behind the book that their other compartment mate, Ginny and Annie turned to see a girl with slightly busy honey brown hair bookmarking her place in her book and putting it away in a small bookbag. Annie and Ginny both looked at eachother realizing they knew this girl somehow, and she could only be a year or so older than them. It hit Annie, brown hair, bushy, slightly large front teeth, warm smile... Hermione Granger. Annie extended her hand and said,

"I'm Annie, I'm a friend of Harry's. You're Hermione, right?" Annie gave a bright and amorous smile, that made her light freckles more noticeable against her creamy white skin, in contrast to her dark ringlet hair, that seemed to have been kissed by the sun as hints of gold gleamed from her healthy hair...

All Hermione could think was how gorgeous this girl was at just eleven, Harry had described his childhood friend to Hermione before, but the description didn't do Annie justice. Hermione shook the girl's hand and they both began to chat amiably, from books, to hogwarts, to frizzy hair... Ginny pulled out a brown leather book and began to write fervently in it.

"Hey Gin, what's that?" Annie craned her kneck to see what Ginny was writing in, it appeared to be a seemingly normal journal, but something didn't feel right about it... Annie looked down and saw her fingers twitch again, 'What the hell was going on?' she thought to herself as she clenched both hands to hide their fluttering fingers and staired at the book somemore...

"Nothing, just a simple diary..." Ginny's voice diffused through the air, as she went back to writing in her journal...

* * *

_Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure..._

"Black, Anne Elyse..." Professor McGonagall's stern, but kind voice rang through the silent Great Hall. It was illuminated by hundreds of floating candles, a bewitched night's sky where shooting stars seemed to fall faster and the constelations shone brighter. Cathedral lenghth windows framed the picturesque view of the beautiful grounds of the historic school.

Annie unlike many of her fellow first years, confidently walked towards the rickety stool used in many sorting ceremonies before, sat down very properly, tucking one ankle behind the other, and smoothing her skirt. Her eyes darted around the room, still in search of Harry and Ron, who were missing in action. She saw the always sweet smile of her friend Ginny and the reassuring nod of Hermione, the sneer of her cousin Draco...

The every year Draco and Harry confrontation turned into (in Harry's absence) a Hermione and Draco spat, which Annie put to a stop as she distinctly heard the beginnings of the word Mudblood come out of Peroxide Head... Annie decided she would fight to the ends of the earth not to be placed in Slytherin, and have to live with that bleached scum...

She felt a sudden weight on her head and smelled a quite pungent odor of mold and gym socks...

"If you were thousands of years old, my dear, and not aloud to bathe, you may begin to reek yourself..." The sorting hat's old, gruff voice bounced in the corners of her mind.

"Not possible..." Annie spoke arrogantly in her head, it was very odd to have a conversation with someone else in her head...

"Ah, with cunning like that, I'd place you in the house of Salazar Slytherin without a single thought not to, you have come from a family of generations upon generations of Slytherins, but Slytherin is not for you, you see, like humble hufflepuff you have just and loyalty from sea to sea..."

"Must you speak in rhyme?"

"Must you interuppt me?"

"Point taken, continue," Annie shrugged her shoulders without realizing it...

"You share a quality of each four founder, a rare feet at that. For each trait contradicts the other, you will never be happy in just one house...Of Gryffindor you hold bravery and boldness, of Ravenclaw you posses cleverness and intelligence all the same. But I can see that yourself and Lady Ravenclaw have not only exceptional brilliance in common, for you are hiding a power that sets you apart from so many others, as it lies deep within your heart."

Might as well be honest, stupid hat will just figure it out anyways... "Rowena Ravenclaw was a Haven?" Annie asked in a surprised tone to the hat...

"Oh and a great one at that, but as you do, she kept it a secret and thus it tore her appart. You feel a responsibility to help and save others, but Miss Black... the road may not be easy, for your friends may never understand, the role of the saviour a Haven, that ended with a soul taking her life with her own hands, a woman we kindly called the Raven. So listen carefully, because I'll only tell you once, never hide who you truly are or you'll never win the war."

"Wait a minute! What War..." Annie's thoughts were overridden by a booming voice she recognized as the hat's shouting,

"RAVENCLAW!" As McGonagall began to remove the hat from her head Annie heard one last thought from the sorting hat... "Use your time wisely... use it well..."

"Sodding hat! Use your time, win the war, save the cheerleader save the world, blah blah blah blah blah!" Annie muttered to herself under her breath as she made her way to the cheering Ravenclaw's and shot Ginny an apologetic look, Annie and Ginny really would've liked to be in the same house. Even though Ginny hadn't been sorted yet, but everyone knew Weasley's were Gryffindors...

Too much was going through her mind, everything the hat had said to her made no sense whatsoever. War? What war? Annie didn't feel a responsibility to save others, at least she wouldn't yet.

Harry continued to stare at his feet as Professor McGonagall and Snape paced the room listing Ron and his multitude of rules broken by flying the car to Hogwarts. Essentially, they were in detention until the end of the century, or until their mother's killed them. Whichever came first...

Harry and Ron were finally left out of lecture hour just as massive amounts of students emerged from the Great Hall, the boys turned the corner and literally rammed into Annie, Ginny, and Hermione.

"Ow!" Annie was smushed into the wall by oncoming students, but rejoined the group as they all began walking. Annie looked up to Ron, "Hey jerk,"

"Hey freak." Ron retorted back.

Hermione leaned close to Ginny, a worried and slightly confussed expression growing on her face. "What was that about?" Ginny laughed a little as they turned another corner, putting her journal under her arm as she walked briskly to keep up with the others.

"They've never particularly liked each other. Personally, I think they just have more fun hating eachother, but are friends deep down." Ginny made a dramatic arm movement, thumping her heart with her hand.

"You're a Ravenclaw, really? Ugh..." Harry sighed as Annie huffed indignantly.

"I can't tell at all how you feel about that." Annie said in a very curt, but joking manner. Harry pushed her a bit playfully.

"Well Ravenclaws are known for being the biggest pain in the butt, know it alls." Harry spoke decisively.

Annie sighed, "Tell me something I don't know." She smiled cheekily and walked away, her curly brown hair bouncing as she did so.

"I like her." Hermione said in approval of the girl who would later become her friend.

"Yeah, me too."Harry said a little short of breath as they began to make their way to griffyndor common room.

* * *

_Special thanks to: BeastandtheHarlot and mrspatrickdempsey for their reviews! Sorry for the lack of updates and how short this one is, hopefully the next one will have some more meat to it._


	20. I have a feeling

_Time After Time_

_I have a feeling..._

_Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting-John Russell_

_End of September 1992_

Annie sat secluded to her own little space at the empty Ravenclaw table in an extremely bare Great Hall. There are many disadvantages to rising early, lonliness being one of them. She propped up the Daily Prophet with one hand as she held a spoon with the other. She carefully dipped into her porridge breakfast, avoiding spilling any onto her crisp blue tie and robes. The young girl strummed her fingers ever so carelessly as she paroozed over the plebeian presentation of the wizarding world's daily events. It's really very sad when the most newsbreaking story is how Gilderoy Lockhart achieves his bouncy and behaving coif.

The newly sorted Ravenclaw pulled her head up as a group of noisy fifth year boys entered the previously quiet hall, disrupting the peaceful reading and eating mood Annie had going. She shook her head as she realized just whom the jeering teenage boys were, three parts of the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team... three extremely obnoxious boys in Annie's opinion. There was Logan Davies, the overtly cocky tall-dark-handsome type, Max Bradley who was slightly snobbish, and lastly Casey Chambers, how he made it into Ravenclaw, Annie would never know. The three were jokesters, no where near as good as the marauders, but still funny.

Annie had done alot of people watching during her first few days at Hogwarts, she had become somewhat of a loner and passivist in her house, not ready to throw herself into the arena that was making new friends. She had barely seen Harry, considering they had no classes together, they were in different houses, they were in different years, and ate at different tables at different times. Annie had spotted Ginny once in the corridors with her head in that awful journal, and wondered what the appeal was to the musty old diary. .

_This is pathetic_ Annie thought to herself, it was ridiculous to separate children into segregated groups based on their personalities. Didn't Hogwarts know that there's this thing called too much of a good thing?! You can't put nearly identical personalities together, it just doesn't work... So tonight she would pay visit to the Gryffindor common room. Annie nodded her head decisively to herself and thought _Note to self, stop talking to self in one's own head_ and returned to her mediocre newspaper, and realized her very bitter and sadistic mood. Distantly she heard someone on the other side of the Hall holler, "Max go long!" but put it off in her head, getting distracted by an article about a house elf activist in London arrested by aurors for protesting magical beings in the presence of muggles. That was she was distracted until she saw a flash of something gold out of the corner of her eye and instintively stuck her hand out, clasping the object one handed, without even letting her eyes stray from the text she was so avidly reading.

It wasn't until she heard scattered _Whoas _and felt herself be joined by three teenage boys, one on each side of her, and another sitting across from her, did she put down her paper and meet the eyes stairing at her with awe. Annie barely realized what she did until she unclapsed her fingers held around the seemingly small object.

"We've been watching you.." Max said conversationally...

"Ah... I've always wanted to be Jodie Foster," Annie spoke in an uninterested tone.

"What?" Confused and beffudled looks graced the boys faces

"Nothing, continue." Annie sighed, her muggle pop culture references were really wasted in the wizarding world.

"Have you ever thought about playing seeker, Annie?" Davies who was sitting across from her leaned closer with a spark of dangerous mischief in his eyes.

The Gryffindor common room held an air of warmth as it's evening fire blazed on. Studiers and procrastinators alike enjoyed the comfortable chaos of the cozy space they so often spent their time in. Annie took a slow deep breath before approaching the portrait of the fat lady that guarded the commons and dorms. She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet,

"Er... Hi..." Annie cleared her throat and greeted the fat lady nervously.

"Password," the painted woman spoke in a cold and dignified tone that froze Annie to the bone and rooted her to her spot.

"Right...well you know I was thinking a fine and er trusting, and uhm beautiful woman such as yourself would forgo all of that formality..." Annie rambled on neurotically.

"Password?!" the lady said in an annoyed way, firmly standing her ground until she got what she wanted.

"What is your problem lady?! It's not like I'm freakin Voldemort...I'm not going to attack your precious little Gryffindors! Who by the way, could probably protect themselves without you!Hmph!" This lovely statement is what caused Annie to be outside Gryffindor Tower throwing rocks at what she hoped was the common room window, she ducked as pebbles fell down on her.

"Harry! Ahh...Ouch..." Gravity was playing a cruel trick on Annie as more pebbles plummeted back to the ground, hitting her in the forehead and then... it started to rain. "Is this punishment for making a cruel Jodie Foster joke?" Annie yelled at the sky with her hands thrown up in defeat as she was pelted with rain drops the size of galleons. Within thirty seconds, she was drenched to the bone, she bent down to pick up one more pebble and began to throw it at the window when she felt someone next to her.

"Whatcha doin'?" Harry rocked on the balls of his feet as he mirrored Annie and staired up at the sky.

Annie turned her head towards him and just muttered, "I hate you."

"Do I want to know why you were throwing rocks at the Astronomy Tower?" Harry asked with a smirk on his face...

"The Astronomy Tower? I was throwing rocks... at the Astronomy Tower." Annie paused and contimplated this for a moment, "God, why must you hate me so?"

"Come on, lets get you inside." Harry began pushing Annie towards the entrance doors as she yelled various obscenities at the sky, making her look more than slightly insane...

"Wait a minute, what were you doing out here, weren't you in there...? Why am I out here if you weren't in there? Gahh! Stupid Fat Lady, stupid Gryffindors, stupid Quidditch boys!"

"Oh right, I forgot... you're crazy." Harry said as they entered the castle.

"You know, if I wasn't me, I would be a little offended by that. I have something to tell you by the way."

A dripping Annie and Harry walked through the portrait hole minutes later. Everyone in the warm common room seemed to stop and stare at the Ravenclaw and the Gryffindor who didn't seem to notice others in the room shooting looks that could kill at Annie.

"They're stairing at us..." Annie said in a frank voice to Harry.

"And gathering their pitchforks..."Harry added quietly...

"Gryffindors own pitchforks?Hm... good to know..." Annie said in deep thought, as Harry gave her a questioning look. "You know, for chasing the Slytherins around the castle with some day..."

"Fun,"

"Big fun..."

"Are they still stairing?" Harry asked with a bit of worry in his voice...

"Listen people I know I'm gorgeous but must you stare? I mean really have some descency, some self worth, some... I'm gonna run now..." Annie slowly backed away as a mob of Gryffindors began to rise from what they were doing, to prevent any outsiders from getting into their common room... But before she could leave she just had to add, "It's going to be so much fun kicking your guys' butts in quidditch, really, I'm looking forward to it."

After the Gryffindors vs. the lone Ravenclaw debacle in the common room, Harry and Annie agreed to make more time to spend together (on neutral turf of course.) It was the beginning of October, which marked the beginning of Quidditch practices for all four houses.

Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, and Annie Black were all uncerimoniously pulled out of their beds by their insane quidditch captains one very early Saturday morning. The sun hadn't even dared to break the horizon, making it not only very dark, but very cold. Harry slowly made his way to the Great Hall to eat a hurried breakfast when he abruptly rammed into two other sleepwalking figures.

"Ugh..." Came from all three of the young seekers who looked at those who had hit them with distaste.

"Potter." Malfoy spoke with his permanate sneer plastered across his pale face and angular features.

"Malfoy." Harry answered back with hate dripping off every syllable and giving Malfoy a look that could scare Voldemort shitless...

"You know your face is gonna freeze like that." Annie tilted her head and spectated the staring contest that was occuring in front of her at such an early hour.

"You know you're crazy right? You filthy little..."

"I get the point peroxide head..." Annie tucked a loose curl behind her ear, smirked and began to walk towards her destination, the two feuding boys in tow, fighting the entire way to the Great Hall. "Instead of fighting with eachother can't you two just agree and blame the crazy quidditch captains of the world?"

"Agree with each other?" Harry and Draco both said at the same time with a look of ludocrasy towards Annie.

"Make love, not war boys..." As they reached the hall Draco pratically ran away from the Ravenclaw and the Gryffindor and headed for his own house table while Harry and Annie made their way to the Gryffindor and Raveclaw tables respectively.

"Thanks for being on my side there," Harry said sarcastically.

"Hey! I'm always on your side, it's just, what if I prefer to be neutral? What if I want to be Switzerland?"

"So Ravenclaw equals Switzerland?" Harry glanced at her questioningly, "I get the whole nice watches and chocolate thing, but not being able to have an opinion...?"

"So your saying I'm naive and contrived?"

"No! Well...Naive, maybe. Contrived, it's a definite possibility..."

"Eheh! I'm a little hurt by that statement, take it back!"

"Someone has an opinion," Harry taunted in a sing song voice.

"Jerk," Annie mocked angry.

"Hypocrit," Harry crossed his arms and pretended to be mad back. "So we'll hang out later?" Harry stated more than asked.

"After Quidditch practice." Annie began to walk away, "Man, a whole days worth of conversation all before five a.m."

"Five a.m?! I'm going to kill Wood... Hey I just realized something, If were practicing, and your practicing, and Slytherin is practicing... who gets the pitch?" All at once twenty one quidditch players dashed to the quidditch pitch faster than women at a shoe sale.The battle of wits, well not really wits persay, but quidditch captains had begun. In the blustery courtyard of the school three quidditch teams gathered in conflict...

"I reserved the pitch for today weeks ago," Logan Davies huffed in contempt at Montague and Wood.

"Well I reserved it at the end of term last year." Oliver puffed his chest out slightly...

Fred and George leaned towards Annie and sniggered, "Thus proving his need for a bed in St. Mungos..."

"Yeah well your Momma's last year..." Silence creeped through the courtyard after Montague stated this...

"Did he just make a 'Yo Momma' joke?" Annie asked incredously.

"A really bad one too..." Harry chimed in.

"Yeah well by the looks of him, the brain... not all there..." Harry, Annie, Fred, and George all tilted their heads to the left and pondered this.

"Who's missing, we've got Slytherins, Gryffindors, and Ravenclaws. Ah Hufflepuffs, where are the hufflepuffs?" Fred asked

"Being Hufflepuffs..." George stated.

"So their cowering in the corner avoiding conflict and sending their message of love. Good to see the sterotypical pecking order in check." Annie said sarcastically.

"Why don't you get in there. You want to be taken serious as a player..."

"You've got to fight like the big boys."

"What and hit people thus being completely and totally barbaric... I think I'll pass... They can all murder eachother first, could be quite entertaining, my money's on Wood, he's got that manic look. Do they realize this could all be solved in an extremely simple way?"

"How?" Fred and George said at the first time. Annie walked forward, pushing Malfoy slightly as she approached all three Qudditch Captains.

"May I see those?" She asked Wood and Montague for their teacher's excuse notes, taking them in her hand before saying, "Ooops..." and ripping the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's teachers notes into little bitty pieces, "My bad." Wood literally choked as he saw his precious note on the ground ripped into little pieces of nothing... "Now we have a note from Professor Flitwick to practice on the field...how about you two?" Annie smiled sweetly and said, "See problem solved." before turning around and walking away but not before stopping in front of Fred and George, "I intend to fight like a girl."

Logan Davies couldn't help but smile as Wood and Montague looked about ready to cry and murder, "Sorry boys, but what can I say? First years, their too emotional, too uncontrollable, too friggin awesome...Well I have a practice to run." He tried to say as he faught back chuckles...

The end of October approaced too quickly for Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Annie. The warm autumn weather had turned blustery and cold as the leaves fell off the thousand year old trees surrounding Hogwarts castle. Students retired light layers for heavy sweaters, cloaks, and scarves. Ginny, if possible, had become even more distant from Annie, emersing herself completely and totally in Riddle's diary. Harry and Annie made valid attempts to keep touch with Lily, James, and Sirius on top of their studies and quidditch but it had been a busy start of term for all.

Annie ran to catch up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in a crowded hall one night after dinner. They had tried many times to hang out all together in the Gryffindor common room, but after the quidditch practice massacre of '92, the Gryffindors still didn't want to let an outsider in their commons.

"Hey!" Annie panted out of breath as she finally reached her Gryffindor friends.

"Small fry..."

"Sasquatch," Annie and Ron greeted each other in their normal disgruntled tones.

"Hey Annie, are you going to participate in the Halloween festivities too?" Hermione asked in a friendly tone. Halloween fell on a Saturday this year, so Hogwarts students were planning day long parties and candy binges.

Annie and Harry gave each other fleeting looks. Their entire lives, everything bad happened on Halloween, Voldemort, Peter Pettigrew, unknown prophecies being unfufilled...but later on in their lives, bad things would just happen, no matter what the date..."You know, I don't think so, Hermione." Annie spoke supersitiously.

"Why not...?" Ron said in shock that anyone would pass up free candy.

"I just have a feeling...that's all." Annie said in a drifiting voice and walked away.

_Intuition isn't the enemy, but the ally, of reason.-__John Kord Lagemann_

Authors Note: This chapter may be my least favorite to write so far. First I just think it portrays my two main characters in a bad way, and secondly I'm not sure if it's even relavant to the story. I guess I'll let you all decide. It's also kind of my favorite foreshadowing chapter, I think if you read between the lines you'll see alot of the later internal/moral struggles between Harry and Annie and their extensive vocabularies... eh heh... Hope to see you all at the next update! PS: I also changed Roger Davies name to Logan Davies.

What will come of the Quidditch season?

What will happen on Halloween?

BTW: The answer to what was out of place in the last chapter was, "Save the cheerleader, save the world." Is a quote from promos of the show Heroes, which began in 2006, so how would Annie know that if it was '92? No one seemed to catch that this time around...


	21. Enemies of the Heir Beware

_Time After Time_

_Enemy's of the Heir Beware..._

_True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about but few have seen.-Author unknown_

Saturday awakened many early in the blustery morning with it's bitter winds and mystic howling winds. There was something in the air that morning as if the wind was trying to give a soft warning to tread cautiously for the day was bringing a considerable shock with it. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Annie sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall that frigid Halloween morning. Students visibly shivered as the owls flew overhead bringing the cold air and mail with them. As per usual many editions of The Daily Prophet were dropped by various owls on the house tables, but this morning the newspaper was the bearer of bad news, at least for one gryffindor and one ravenclaw...

Annie turned paler than usual and Harry literally choked on his breakfast. Ron pounded hard on Harry's back and Hermione looked on in concern as she pulled papers out of both Harry and Annie's hands and held Crookshanks in her other arm. She couldn't't fully understand what they were so gob smacked at since she wasn't raised in the wizarding world but she could sense it wasn't anything good...

"Peter Pettigrew's been spotted in Dufftown...?" Hermione spoke with longing question in her voice and then it clicked with her, "That Peter Pettigrew...?"

Annie, Ron, and Harry all nodded their heads to Hermione...

"I ruined his plans eleven years ago and now..."Annie started to mutter under his breath as Harry tried to make sense of the situation...

"But why would he choose now? I mean it's been twelve years since that night and..." He started out calm but got exasperated.

"And now you're not at home safe, you're at Hogwarts where anyone can get you." Hermione added logically yet not fully realizing what she said wasn't exactly comforting.

"Thanks Hermione, that makes me feel so much better..." Annie said sardonically.

"What's to be afraid of? He sounds like a real rat to me anyways." Ron spoke.

"You have no idea..." Harry said blankly as Crookshanks hissed and leaped off Hermione's lap and raced down the Great Hall and out the doors as if he was on a mission. What he was chasing... well as we all know, no one would quite figure out the secret hiding places of one Peter Pettigrew for at least another year.

"You know I hate to say it, but I kind of told you so..." Annie looked innocently up at the ceiling as she said this.

"The morning's still early, the day has time to redeem itself..." Harry spoke to soon and said this just as Annie lost balance and clumsily fell off the bench. With her hand motions being as dangerous as they are, she sent the pumpkin juice flying through the air towards the staff table and hit Snape in his large nose, spilling pumpkin juice all over him.

"Bullocks..." Ron said as Snape began to shoot daggers through his eyes at the foursome.

"He looks... angry," Annie tilted her head to one side and said decisively while Hermione stared at her with a hint of suspicion.

"Snape apparently doesn't care for pumpkin juice...this is a very very bad Halloween..." Harry said gravely and he, Ron, Hermione, and Annie sped to the exit and found unlikely refuge in the library. But something even more ominous and mysterious occurred when Harry and Annie chose to leave as Hermione and Ron attended Sir Nicholas' death day party, which Ron complained about the entire day.

Annie and Harry carefully walked out of the library as they balance both Annie and Mione's books in their arms, which quite frankly was no small feat. They reached half way down a forgotten corridor before Harry felt a twinge in his head and began to hear an odd noise invade his mind. It was a sound he wouldn't recognize until much later. Annie began to feel that strange feeling in her hands that she had on the train, an odd sort of tremor. It was foreboding and completely and totally scary to her, but for being so strange, it felt so right...

"Harry something isn't right here...Harry?" She looked over at her friend who was focusing intently on something she didn't seem to see. She gazed the corridor not seeing what she missed. She saw nothing, until Harry turned towards her with a pain stricken face. All he uttered to her was,

"Voices, I heard voices." The companions thought that was terrible enough, until they turned the corner and let out a collective gasp as they saw a terrifying, and literally petrifying site. The air smelled of incontrovertible doom as Annie and Harry turned towards each other expressionless as the saw the petrified bodies before them and the writing on the wall... "THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED, ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE," Annie whispered the blood etched on the stone wall.

"I hate Halloween," Harry muttered as hundreds of students came around the corner bustling and happy from the Halloween feast. Annie gawked at the wall before her, trying to put the cryptic pieces together and she spoke breathlessly, accidentally backing into each Harry."Ditto."

Of course, of all people, Severus Snape would blame the duo for everything laying before them. But Dumbledore, the sometimes too trusting, but wise man that he was, sent the two on their marry way and warned them gently to watch out for eachother for something was coming and had a good idea what would come with it. Dark times were coming, and this was unfortunately, only the beginning.Harry, Ron, and Hermione huddled in a small, warm, moonlit corner of the Gryffindor common room. The sky held an orange harvest moon as a wolf cry could be heard over the chatter of those still awake. The evening's events had created a constant energy that kept even the drowsy awake.

"Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." said Ron apologetically as Harry recalled what happened in the corridor.

"And you're sure Annie didn't hear anything." Hermione asked inquisitively and concerned.

"I'm sure." Harry said distracted as he looked out on the night sky his thought's wandering.

"Enemies of the heir beware, what could that mean?" Hermione wondered outloud...

"Nothing good. Goodnight guys..." Harry muttered and walked away as Ron and Hermione looked on worriedly.

"Yeah, goodnight..." They replied back as they too decided it was time for bed.

The sound of a rap tap tapping on the frost covered window awoke Annie from her almost slumber. There was too much running through the corners of her mind, it was like her brain was running a marathon, but her body was saying no and making her lay there in her four poster bed silently as worries crammed every inch of her thoughts. Why did she feel a sudden feeling of silent doom about to pounce upon them this year? Would she get in trouble for the flying pumpkin juice of '92? Why did Hermione give her a knowingly suspicious look...? Why in seven levels of bloody hell was there an owl shivering at her window...?

She slowly climbed out of bed, her tired body mocking her the entire way to the frozen over window... How could it be so cold in October? The floor felt like ice on Annie's petite bare feet making her visibly cringe as she tip toed cautiously, as to not wake up her roommates. She opened the window letting the frigid cold air in, carefully untying the parcel from the owl's leg. She saw long, narrow, loopy writing addressed to her and she opened it revealing that Dumbledore would like to speak with her, and she could only hope it was simply a social call, but highly doubted that from Dumbledore at this time of night. So she put on her dressing robes over her pink and red flannel pajama bottoms and top and walked barefoot out of her dormitory. Annie lost her balance on the stairs leading down to the Ravenclaw common room, that was pitch black. What could Dumbledore possibly want at this hour? Annie stepped carefully out of the doorway of the common room and walked carefully, hoping not to be caught out of bed past curfew. Of course, she did have a note from Dumbledore, but she figured that wouldn't get her far with Filch or Snape if they were out in the corridors. Annie made her way down one of the main hogwarts stair cases, and to the gargoyle guard protecting the Headmasters office. She had heard many stories from her father and her Uncle James about their times spent being punished in the very office she was standing outside of. She felt the odd feeling that something, or someone was watching her every move and decided it best to just get this meeting with her headmaster over with as quick as possible. But how to get past the gargoyle...?

"Password?" The gargoyle murmured in an annoyed voice, as though she was waking him.

"Er...?" Annie racked her brain, had Dumbledore even given her the password...

"Er, is not a word nor password my dear, so I suggest you try again." The gargoyle spoke so arrogantly, Annie could've mistaken it for Snape or Malfoy.

"Not even a hint?" asked Annie, a bit of hope in her voice. "Alright fine, I suppose I will just have to guess won't I?" She waited for the gargoyle to confirm this, but no such luck. "Fine, you only speak when you want to huh? Okay, er... passwords... passwords... how about Godric Gryffindor? No? Transfiguration rules...? Kill the slytherins..?" She sat down on the cold stone floor and leaned back against the wall ranting off random words until she could find the password.

"Chickens, feathers, feather boas, tiaras, rhinestones." She paused for a second... "The Village People?" And the gargoyle practically leapt to the side and revealed the spiraling stairs that lead up to the Headmasters office. "Interesting man that Dumbledore." She climbed each steep stair with caution and was about to knock on the door but was then startled when she heard,

"Miss Black, you may come in."

"Strange, strange man..." She shook her head and then opened the door revealing a grand office of whirring instruments and multitudes of texts that reached from floor to ceiling. If she wasn't so distracted by wondering what the meeting was about, her mouth would've dropped in awe of the simple beauty of the room. Dumbledore cleared his throat as to pull Annie out of her awed state...  
"Take a seat Miss Black." She could't tell if he was being stern or cordial, Dumbledore was a seemingly hard person to read. He wore an everlasting twinkle in his eyes and a mysterious sense of mischief, something the Marauders could't even express all of the time. There was never a time in Annie's mind that someone outdid the Marauders, which was truly saying something.

"What did you..." Annie began to ask the meaning of the meeting.

"I'm sure you're wondering why exactly I called you here, especially at such a late hour. I normally would not call this late, but with the goings of the coming days there is no time but the present to strengthen ourselves..." He spoke cryptically as Annie squinted trying to derive the meaning from his words. "As to what happened in the Great Hall this morning, Professor Snape, not knowing about your remarkable abilities, took great offense, for lack of a better term, to you throwing a jug of pumpking juice at his nose." Dumbledore chuckled kindly as he recalled the incident and Annie slunk down slightly in her chair in embarressment. "It was an accident, my dear, nothing more I'm sure." Personally, Annie thought she did Snape a favor, his broken nose actually appeared somewhat normal compared to his regular nose..."None the less, I believe it would be best if I helped you harness those new gifts of yours as the arise for the future, we never quite know what time will throw towards us." Except Annie felt he knew exactly what the future would bring. "So, with the permission of your father of course, I would like you to begin practicing your skills in a structured environment in my office once a week." said Dumbledore. Annie didn't see a problem with the idea. It would help keep her true identity a secret, something only extremely close family and friends knew.

"Alright, I think that would be good actually." Annie sat up straighter.

"I'm glad you think so. An owl will be sent to you within the week to schedule a lesson time. That will be all, goodnight."

"Thank you, goodnight sir." Annie rose from her chair slowly and made it towards the door.

"Tread carefully, Miss Black, for we can never know how haunted a chamber may be..." Annie turned back giving him a quizical look and left silently feeling that she was less scared of things to come before her meeting with Dumbledore than after. She was smart enough to know that terrible things were about to happen at Hogwarts, she just wasn't quite aware of what.

"He said, "Tread carefully, for we never know how haunted a chamber may be...' Which means..." Annie explained her meeting with Dumbledore to Hermione, Ron, and Harry, leaving out the actual reason for the meeting because Hermione didn't know about Annie being a haven.

"Dumbledore knows more about the Chamber of Secrets than we thought." Hermione concluded.

"Do you ever think Dumbledore knows too much?" asked Ron.

"No," Annie, Harry, and Hermione said bluntly at the same time.

"Knowing what the Chamber of Secrets is might help." Harry stated frankly.

"Every textbook we've checked says absolutely nothing... the only way we'll find out precisely what the Chamber of Secrets is, is to ask someone who knows." Hermione sounded puzzled.

"McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Binns." Annie listed as she dazed off in thought. The others looked at her in confusion and she simply replied as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "They'll know what the Chamber of Secrets is, the trick will be..."

"Who can con a teacher into telling them first." Harry finished as though he read her mind. Ron and Hermione looked at them strangely until Ron said...

"You two are bad influences," and shook his head.

As being the only student (Hermione included) that could stay alert throughout History of Magic, and having the class before the others, Annie was the first to be able to ask what the Chamber really was. That day, Professor Binns was lecturing on Goblin rebellions a rather dull lecture as always. Annie raised her hands and cleared her throat to get Binns attention seeing as he was so enthralled in his own lecture.

"Yes Miss... er... Grey is it? Yes Miss Grey indeed," Annie smiled a bit on the inside, Binns couldn't ever remember anyones name...

"Sir, could you possibly tell us about... the Chamber of Secrets...?" Everyone in the class seemed to jerk awake out of their history induced trances. Ginny even poked her head out of her diary.

"I deal with fact, Miss Grey, not legend, not folklore, nor song, strictly fact. If you would like to read such fables may I suggest a fairy tale..." Binns scoffed offended that he would ever be considered someone to tell anything but proven truth.

"Yes sir, but isn't the distinction between fable and fact quite frankly not destinct at all? I mean really all legends have some truth to them. The world isn't simply just black and white, truth and tale. And seeing as it is part of Hogwarts history and all..." Annie put so smoothly, and coyly that she could've passed for her father in his marauder days. Annie could have sworn she heard him mumble something about "Spawn of Sirius Black," "Evil child..." But she finally got her way.

Binns sighed in defeat, "Very well then, but I warn you this is a ludricrous legend."

"Only the best ones are..." Annie said back. The battle of words between Binns and Annie had caused the entire class of first years for once to be hanging on Binns' every word. When he looked around the room, you could tell Binns was thrown by having such attentive listeners and began the story, "Hogwarts, of course, was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest wizards and witches of their time. Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built the foundations of Hogwarts together, free from prying eyes. For years the four founders worked harmoniously in educating children in their fine craft. But as in many groups throughout history, disagreements grew between them, dividing them through and through. Slytherin, wished to be more selective in the admittance process of students than the others. He believed as many do that magical learning and practice should be kept within all-magical and "pureblooded" families," Annie rolled her eyes at that. "After a while, there was quite a serious argument between Slytherin and Gryffindor, leading to Slytherin eventually leaving the school. It has been aluded that Ravenclaw and Gryffindor sided with eachother disagreeing with Slytherin, while Hufflepuff tried to keep peace. These facts have been tainted and blurred by the erroneous tale that is the Chamber of Secrets. It is told that Slytherin built a hidden chamber in the castle that the other founders knew nothing of. According to legend, Slytherin sealed the Chamber so that none but his true heir could open it and unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were considered unworthy to study magic. It is of course, nonsense, seeing as the school has been searched over for the hidden Chamber for hundreds of years before us. A tale simply told to frighten the meek, and give the valliant an object to slay."

"What do you mean, 'the horror within?" Annie accidentally blurted aloud.

"It is believed," Binns paused, swallowing hard, "That there is to be a monster that only the heir of Slytherin can control within the Chamber. Something terrible, horrid... and deranged. If the likes of Dumbldore can't find it, I'm sure no one can."

"But sir, maybe, you know just thinking off the top of my head here," Annie cautiously began, "Since Dumbldore isn't related to Slytherin..."

"That is enough Miss Grey! Enough of your antics! Enough!" Binns went into a caniption fit...

"Pay up boys," Ron and Harry moaned as they handed Annie chocolate frogs, Hermione was smart enough not to enter the bet and smirked to herself as Annie shared her winnings with her.

"We always knew Slytherin was an old loony, but I didn't know he started all this pureblooded stuff. You couldn't pay me to be in that house. I don't know what I'd do if the sorting hat tried to put me into Slytherin." Ron stated. Hermione nodded in agreement, while both Harry and Annie looked down without saying a word. As they looked up they caught eachothers eyes and gave eachother an knowing look. They had both been offered the chance to be in Slytherin and now they knew it.

"If the heir of Slytherin is the only person who can open the Chamber, then the heir has been in the school since the beginning of the year." Hermione started.

"But not before it." Annie added deductively as she bit into a chocolate frog. They were in the bathroom of the scene of the crime. "It would have to be someone who either just entered the school this year, or had the chance to do something last year but didn't."

"First or second years..." Harry added in.

"Lets see, who do we know who's family are complete and total Slytherins and think muggle borns and squibs are scum?" Ron asked with a hint of accusation in his voice and him and Hermione turned to look at Annie.

"What are you all stairing at?" She thought for a second and opened her eyes wide in realization. "Oh you seriously don't think... I am not the heir of Slytherin! My family may believe in that load of crap, but I don't." Annie gathered her books and her bag and stormed out of the haunted girls loo. Harry gave his two friends a look that clearly said he was disappointed in them and ran off to go find Annie.

She ran through the bustling corridors, ignoring McGonagall's advisement to slow down. She didn't stop until the doors of the grand hall came into view. Annie pushed them open feeling the sharp wind hit her face as she walked at a steady pace towards something...  
Harry rushed through the halls knowing exactly where his friend was going, he drew his cloak closer to his kneck covering his ears slightly as he walked outside towards the black lake.Annie shivered sitting in the cold, frost covered lawn. Harry walked up behind her and took off his own cloak draping it over her shoulders as her wild hair blew in the wind and sat down next to her. She sniffed her nose and wiped a stray tear from her face. Harry kindly looked out at the lake giving Annie time to pull herself together.

_(vamp to when the sun comes up by John Legend plays)_

"I'm not the heir of Slytherin." She said looking out at the lake.

"I know." Harry said simply.

"I'm not like the rest of the Black family tree..."

_It's destiny that your next to me_

"I know." The two had an understanding of eachother no one else had ever had.

"Look," Annie gazed up at the sky taking in a deep breath.

"What?" Harry mirrored Annie but didn't see anything.

"Snow..." And sure enough, flakes of white began to fall from the sky as they sat there and watched the snow fall.

It had become later in the month, more attacks brought more accusations everywhere you looked, unfortunately, Harry had been the target of most of them. His little secret about being a parselmouth had been unleashed in a dueling club put together by Lockhart and Snape.

"Watch out, Heir of Slytherin. Seriously evil wizard coming through." Fred and George shouted in the snow covered courtyard. Harry visibly cringed.

"Don't pay attention to them Harry, it's just their way of making things better." Annie tried to make him feel better but there was no use. "We all know you wouldn't do what this monster has done. The more you let this eat away at you, the harder it's going to be to beat this thing whenever it comes." Harry still looked like someone had ranover his puppy or something. He had all the reason in the world to be upset, but Annie wasn't going to let that ruin their year. "Harry Potter, stop feeling sorry for yourself, stop listening to what everyone else thinks instead of what you think, and stop making me feel like I need to write to your mother, because I will." She said in a firm, measured voice as they sat at a bench.

"Annie." Harry muttered.

"What!?" She said clearly annoyed.

"Thanks."

* * *

Authors Note: I apologize for getting this chapter out to you a month later than I wanted to! I caught a lovely case of writers block and couldn't think of what to write until yesterday. I hope you liked this chapter, I really actually ended up liking this one quite a bit. I'd appreciate your opinions on it (hint, hint) and if you visit my profile page there's a poll to vote on about this story, if you wish. 

Thanks for reading, hope to see you at the next chapter!

P.S.: The fact that Annie likes history so much may hint at her future a bit...  
And there is an intentional typo in this chapter, think of two words that sound the same and are spelt the same except for one letter. If you find it you may find a little bit about Harry and Annie's future. Let me know what you find and I'll tell you if you are right.


	22. Annie Falls Down the Rabbit Hole

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor would I ever claim to.**

_Time After Time_

_Annie falls down the rabbit hole..._

_December_

Annie held on tightly securing herself on her broom as she competed for the snitch with Harry in a nosedive. The wind pushed back Harry's already windswept hair making it even messier than before, and whipped Annie's ponytail so much it hit her in the face repeatedly. Her cheeks were stained a rosy pink from the sharp wind and there was this fleeting yet determined and focused look on her face, Harry didn't realize it now and he wouldn't for many years, but someday he would look back on this moment as the moment his feelings really changed...How they changed we would later find out. The turbulence had threatened to lift both off of their brooms many times but both clung on in hopes of winning. It was unexplainable, the rush of emotions and the natural high that flying gave the both of them. Annie, for as long as Harry could remember, was his only real competition when it came to quidditch. She was usually the only person who had a chance at beating him fair and square. The ground came nearer and nearer, Harry took his focus off the ground and looked at Annie, she had a slight spark of madness and intensity in her eyes that would've intimidated anyone that didn't know her. She wasn't pulling out of the dive so why should he? The seekers continued to plummet toward the earth, putting their own lives in jeopardy, hearing cries of worried spectators and faculty above them, but that didn't stop them, it seemed to encourage them to go faster and harder to seek the snitch. As they came inches away from the ground Annie started to feel her feet fly out from under her, and Harry noticed.

"Annie, pull out!" Harry yelled out.

"No, you pull out." Annie called back quite stubbornly.

The snitch had other ideas in mind then being caught and touched the ground before darting straight up into the sky and out of sight. Annie seemed to notice this a split second faster than Harry. But unfortunately her already unsecure position on her broom was made worse when she went from diving directly downward to bulleting up. Her feet flew completely over her head leaving the Ravenclaw seeker dangling from her broom, hanging on by one arm. She saw blazes of red and blue fly by her in a flash, and saw an unmistakable mane of red hair in that had to be Lily, which also meant her father and James were there... Taking a deep breath she swung her leg up once, but not with enough power and the broom lowered slightly. She felt thousands of eyes boring into the back of her head and hushed tones coming from the stands. She swung her leg one more time and felt her leg hit the broom stick, pulling her along with it in one sweeping motion and she was back on top of the broom. She glanced around, blocking out all surrounding noise and looked for one person, one person specifically. Harry Potter was up above her at least three hundred feet, sure at this point he had the advantage, but letting him win, well that wasn't something she was willing to let him do. Letting out a slight squeal she flew straight up at a ninety degree angle and began to tail Harry. He weaved in and out as to make it harder for Annie to catch up with him. The thing she noticed was he wasn't chasing anything, he was leading her on. She decided to make it seem like she was falling for it and sped up catching up to Harry.

Annie could vaguely hear Lee Jordan's voice saying, "Ten points to Gryffindor."

"You just had to throw yourself off your broom." Harry chided as they made a lap high above the pitch.

"Excuse me, this comes from the guy who says 'Oh why don't I just get chased by a rogue bludger,' at your last game."

"Have you seen the snitch yet?" He yelled back, the wind was picking up and Harry was sure his hands were frozen to the broom.

"Isn't that why I'm supposed to be following you? Yeah I know you're just trying to fake me out." She replied with a smirk and abruptly stopped in front of Harry, causing him to ram into her, throwing his speed. "But in about three seconds, I'm going to fly over there and catch that pretty gold glimmer in the sky." Harry had seen the exact same thing when they stopped but wondered if she had picked up on it. They both flew off at exactly the same time clinging close to their brooms gaining any extra speed they could and fetched the snitch at...exactly the same time. Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw one hundred-ten to ninety.

Harry was engulfed in a sea of red hair as his mother squeezed him in a death-clench sort of hug. His ribs felt as though they were about to crack and he tried to speak but all that came out was air.

"Lils, air honey, air." James said to save his son from a young death, but Lily wouldn't listen.

"You two could've been killed do you realize that? You almost crashed into the ground, and then Annie almost falling off your broom at two hundred feet. Was that really necessary?" Lily kept her voice down but you could tell by the look in her emerald green eyes that she was upset. After profusely apologizing to Lily for their "careless and hasty" broom riding, they bid goodbye to their parents and separated into different locker rooms so they could change out of their snow covered, wet uniforms that were hopefully not frozen to them. This was quite honestly Harry's most hated time of year and Annie's favorite, he hated the cold and snow, while she hated the hot summer months. Harry took comfort in the Gryffindor common room that evening while Annie cozied up to the fireplace in the Ravenclaw common room and read A Study of Recent Developments of Wizardry.

Lady Ravenclaw's common room was located in Ravenclaw Tower on the west side of Hogwarts. The circular room was guarded by a door that asked the person wishing to enter a question before allowing them entrance. The room was a complete circle with cathedral height ceilings that seemed to go one forever. The walls were covered in a light blue with cream pattern and crisp white floor boards in contrast to the dark paneled wood floor. There were white twill covered arm chairs with pillows and ottomans that matched the blue wall coverings. The chairs also had the softest blue blankets imaginable draped over the back of them. The chairs faced toward a magnificent fireplace that was surrounded by floor to ceiling bookcases, that had an attached ladder to reach the highest book. The grand staircase spiraled in one corner of the room up to the girls and boys dormitories which were decorated in similar Ravenclaw blue hues. While the Gryffindor common room had this instant feeling of comfort and warmth and love as soon as you walked into it, the Ravenclaw common room was more formal and intellectual. It wasn't the formality that really bugged Annie, it was the coldness of her house, but the hat put her there for a reason, she just could't see what it was.

Christmas holidays were fatly approaching and there was a buzz in the air that only the prospects of no school for two or so weeks could bring. But as the year went on and weeks passed, more and more students began to suspect Harry as the cause of the many petrified students. But Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Annie had a hunch of who was really behind the attacks, and as the polyjuice potion brewed, the more they thought their guess was correct. Annie noticed that Ginny didn't look much like herself lately, and every time she went to see if her redheaded friend was alright, Ginny would turn the corner and walk away.

Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Annie had devised a plan as to how the three Gryffindors would stay at Hogwarts in order to be able to use the polyjuice without being suspected of mischief by their parents... mainly by Sirius, James, and Lily, who could detect trouble as if they could smell it. Of course, James and Sirius would typically approve of most rule bending that their children partook in, but something told Harry and Annie that they wouldn't quite approve of solving the deadly mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. The plan was for Annie to return home by herself on the train home for Christmas and meet James, Lily, Sirius, and Mrs. Weasley at Kings Cross, who would all expect Harry and Ron to be with her,then she would make up some excuse as to why they were staying at school and how there was no time to write a letter to tell them...

Annie hauled her trunk through the aisle of the Hogwarts Express looking in each compartment window for an empty or somewhat empty train compartment. She saw Ginny alone in a compartment and knocked softly on the frame of the door, startling the redhead.

"Hey Gin, do you mind if I join you." Annie spoke hopefully.

"No, go ahead," Ginny closed her book and looked up at Annie. Ginny looked tired and troubled, in all their years of knowing each other, Annie had never seen Ginny so pale and weak looking. Annie shoved her trunk into the overhead storage and sat across from her companion.

"Are you alright?" Annie tried to say as casually as possible. After a long pause, Ginny finally spoke what Annie knew was a lie...

"Yeah I'm fine."

Harry looked at the vile concoction of potion with discontent and downed it as quickly as possible, noticing Ron and Hermione had done the same thing... He couldn't quite describe the feeling of transforming into someone else other than it was like having bones too big for your skin, which was slowly and painfully stretching and contorting itself to fit the body that had become it. The three Gryffindors dropped their glasses of potion creating a powerful crash of breaking glass and ran to the bathroom stalls as if they were going to be sick. Once the urge to puke subsided, Harry and Ron both changed into Slytherin robes and waited a few moments for Hermione to step out of her stall. Except, Hermione had undergone a very different transformation than the boys did.

"Hermione...?" Ron called after moments of waiting...

They heard a brief sniffle, "You'll have to go without me... something's gone terribly wrong..." Hermione said from the stall.

"Are you sure..." Harry made to push open the door but stopped when Hermione spoke.

"Yes, go! You're wasting time!"

Annie stepped off the bright red train as it gave a puff of steam. She walked forward lugging her trunk and Lloyd in his cage along with her and spotted her father and her godparents, she took a deep breath and walked toward them. The three adults looked quite confused as the blue-eyed Ravenclaw walked alone in their direction. As she neared, her father held his arms out and she dropped all her belongings at her feet and ran toward him, giving him a hug that lifted her off her feet a bit.

"There's my Pup." Sirius said as he let his daughter go. Lily peered over heads of the crowed that were huddled on the platform seeing no signs of her son and eyed Annie suspiciously.

"Annie," She paused, "Where is Harry?" James noticed the suspicous look in his wife's fiery eyes and realized that his son was not with them...

Annie paled slightly, "Hermione asked Harry and Ron to stay back and study with her, they've got a rather large test coming up and it made her feel better to have someone to stay at Hogwarts with. He would've written you, but she didn't ask the boys until just today." She tucked a piece of her curly blackish-brown hair behind her ear and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Lily seemed to accept the answer warily and they continued on down the platform to the outside world.

James looked over at his goddaughter who was slightly peaky looking, "Are you feeling alright sweetheart..." he had a bit of a soft spot for Sirius's daughter, often thinking of her as his own.

"Fine, just winded from the trip is all..."

"Mione...?" Ron called from outside the bathroom stall they had been at merely an hour ago...

"It's terrible... just wait til' you see..." Moaning Myrtle spoke somewhat maliciously. There are moments in your life, when you have to strongly fight the urge to laugh, and seeing Hermione Granger in cat form was one of them. Out of respect for their friend the boys took their friend to the hospital wing without a snicker, and told her of their experience in the Gryffindor common room. The heir of Slytherin wasn't Draco, so they were unfortunately back to square one.

"Anne Elyse!" Annie heard Sirius bellow her name from downstairs at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She carefully marked her spot in her book and made her way down the winding stairs of the Ancient House of Black. He had used her full name, which quite frankly was never a good sign when it came to parents. She swore that parents gave their kids middle names to give them enough reaction time when they knew they were in trouble. She made her way into the kitchen and spotted her Uncle James and her dad at the kitchen table, only one lamp lit above their heads, interrogation style...She sat down cautiously at the table...

"How may I help you?" Annie said, knowing speaking first would at least put the ball in her court.

"What is Harry really doing?" James spoke bluntly looking her square in the eye.

Annie met his blunt look and said respectively,"Exactly what I said he was doing, studying with Ron and Hermione." As she said it again it sounded so utterly like a lie...technically they were brewing polyjuice potion, so there was some education to it.

"Are you sure...?" Sirius asked giving her leeway time to change her mind. "Because we wouldn't be mad at all really..."

"Well if you really want to know, they figured out that Professor Dumbledore wears monkey printed underpants and wanted to sneak into his living quarters in the middle of the night, confiscate the monkey pants and hang them from the astronomy tower..."

James and Sirius looked proud at this thought..."Really?"

"Of course not!" Annie spoke back. "Trust Harry, and the fact that whatever he's doing is a good thing, even if you don't approve of the dangerous rule breaking, it will always be for a good reason. Goodnight, I am going to bed, and do you really think if that was truly the case that I would miss out on it? As if you didn't know me at all..." With a flourish of her dressing robe she walked off to bed and left her father and godfather confuddled and a little proud, at least they had raised their kids with a sense of loyalty.

"Malfoy isn't the heir is he?" Annie said as she reached Hermione's hospital bed which Ron and Harry were also at. They wore looks of dissapointment on their faces... "Sorry..."

"How were my parents...?" Harry added hoping for a good answer.

"Yeah about that... they totally know you're up to something." Annie put it casually.

"That's good," Harry sat down in the chair next to Hermione's bed. Then Harry saw something strange at the window of the hospital wing, spiders... Annie caught his eye and noticed the same thing.

"What are you two looking at? AHHHH!" Ron jumped up from where he was sitting, Hermione rolled her eyes and said,"They're just spiders Ronald." It all sort of came together in her head and in Annie's...

"Annie what are you doing tomorrow?" Hermione tried to put as nonchalantly as possible.

"Nothing why?"

"We're going to the library." It was more of a statement then a question.

That evening Annie walked through the corridors of Hogwarts on her way to Professor Dumbledore's office, she had a "lesson" so to speak this evening and was already a minute or so late. The halls seemed crowded with students in a frenzy who like herself had just gotten back from break. There was always a constant hustle and bustle at Hogwarts that she had grown accustomed to over the past months. Her lessons with Dumbledore were successful, as she could now conjure and control items with her hands and eyes which were previously spasmodic at best.

After hours and hours of practice, Annie could mentally move and swap the headmasters paintings in Dumbledore's office, needless to say the portraits were not happy with the constant commotion as they were wanting to sleep. Albus sat behind his mahogany desk watching with his hands clasped together and a familiar twinkle in his eyes.

"Very good Miss Black, very good indeed." He said in his raspy grandfather like voice. Annie had never had a grandfather, but she imagined that was what one sounded like, raspy, old, and warm. She looked around his office, his curtains were in three different places, the portraits were on opposite ends of the room from where they originally were, and the books were no longer in alphabetical order as they previously were, she had somewhat ruined his office, but to him it was very good indeed.

"Thank you sir."

"I believe that will be all for this evening."

"Goodnight." Annie called from the door, but stopped with her hand on the doorknob. Professor Dumbledore seemed to notice this.

"Yes, Miss Black."

She turned around hesitantly, "It's just, do you really think a student is causing all of this Chamber of Secrets stuff to happen." she asked incredulously.

The headmaster paused, his gaze redirecting upward as if he was trying to figure out what to say, "No, I don't believe so."

"Well that was really all I was wondering, goodnight sir."

"Yes, goodnight Miss Black."

"We need a book," Hermione slammed down a stack of books three feet high on the long wooden library tables that Harry, Ron, and Annie were doing homework on.

"Is it just me or isn't that what she has in her hands," Ron muttered to Harry. "She's gone mental," he whispered. "Hermione have you gone mental?" Ron said in a mocked concerned voice.

"What I mean is, we need a book, that isn't available to us. We need one from the restricted section."

"Well that shouldn't be too hard should it, I mean with the cloak and all..." Annie and Hermione both looked at Harry with 'pretty please' faces.

Harry caught on, "No, no way am I doing that again. Madam Pince already has it out for me." The four students looked to Irma Pince. She wasn't exactly an attractive woman, her support hose had a fair amount of runs in them and her girdle stuck out of her skirt and she had a constant scowl on her face.

"Fine, I don't blame you I guess." Hermione took another look at Madam Pince, "I'll just have to find another book that'll do."

* * *

_Spring (June) 1993_

The long and painful winter brought the advent of a bittersweet spring. The frost on the trees had thawed bringing warm weather and the hopes of summer. On the average afternoon students lounged beneath trees, swam in the lake with the giant squid, and read in the archways of walls where the light hit perfectly. It would've been the perfect way to end the year except for the mass amounts of petrified students and fear lurking along every corridor. Hermione had been unfortunate enough to be one of the students attacked by the unknown attacker. Harry, Ron, and Annie sat with her every spare moment they could, choosing their friend over the enticing prospect of a warm spring's day. It wasn't until an evening in June, had Harry realized why Hermione had been petrified in the library.

Harry sat at his friend's bedside that night with a new realization. Hermione had a look of contentment, almost peace on her face, a smirk of knowledge, whereas the rest of the attacked students wore a face of shock and surprise. "Hermione knew that whatever attacked her was coming."  
Annie and Ron looked up from their blank stares off into the distance and saw Harry's face, like a light bulb had suddenly just lit above his head.

Annie furrowed her brow, "What...?" She, too focused her attention on Hermione's face and Ron was soon to follow. Harry grabbed the mirror that Hermione had clasped in her hand in the library, the mirror that previously had no significance. He grabbed Annie's hand and drug her to one side of the room and pulled Ron to a corner near Hermione's head. He stood in the middle of both of them with the mirror angled a specific way. If he angled it correctly he could see Ron and if he shifted it the other way he could see Annie, even if they moved about the room he could still see them.

Annie moved cautiously across the room as something caught her eye, a piece of crumpled paper in Hermione's hand, she hadn't noticed it before. She carefully pulled it out of her hand and uncrumpled it.

"She got around using mirrors so she would know who was coming behind her." Harry spoke as both him and Ron crossed the room to join her. They saw the headline _Basilisk_ before they heard the voice of Professor McGonagall. Annie stuffed the paper in her pocket hurriedly, Harry put the mirror back, and Ron fell into a chair.

"Back to your dormitories you three and don't leave." McGonagall spoke curtly but showed a great amount of care in her eyes.The three got up silently and walked out with a fast pace and gave each other looks of confusion as they passed the great clock outside the infirmary.

"What was that about?" Ron asked in a skeptical voice.

"Something to do with the Chamber probably." Annie said decisively, "Well I'm this way, but if you two find something out and leave me out of it god help me I will hex you until the end of time."

"I promise, first word of anything we'll let you know..." Harry spoke with true confidence.

"Of course getting to you, poses a slight problem." Ron scratched his head.

"Right..." Annie walked down a corridor that Ron and Harry assumed lead to the Ravenclaw dorms and walked down their own familiar halls to the Gryffindor common room, but on the way there they overheard something they were certain they weren't supposed to hear and saw something they should've never gazed upon.

_Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever_

Ron and Harry ducked around a corridor to hear what the group of teachers they saw convening were talking about.  
"A student had been taken by the monster directly into the Chamber of Secrets." Professor McGonagall told the gob smacked group of professors. Flitwick let out a cry of distress, Professor Sprout nearly fainted, and Snape seemed to grip the side of his robe tightly in his hand and spoke, "Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall who seemed to get ghostly white. Harry could feel Ron choke up beside him. "The end of Hogwarts has come I'm afraid."

Lockhart came running down the hallway, with what seemed to be fake exasperation playing across his usually cheerful face. "Sorry, what have I missed." You didn't have to be a genius to see that almost all of the teachers hated Gilderoy, they possibly hated him even more than the students. They just gazed at him with a remarkable sense of hatred that Harry had only ever seen when his father talked about Voldemort, the Minister of Magic, and Bulgarian Quidditch. Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man, the very man. A girl has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets, Lockhart. You shining moment has come at last, the moment to prove your glory."

"I uh, I well, uh..." Gilderoy sputtered.

"We shall leave her rescue to you then Gilderoy. Tonight will be a most excellent time to do it, with all of the students out of your way. Well off you go, a free reign at last." McGonagall spoke.

"Very, er well then. I'll just be in my er.. office, urhm... getting some things." Gilderoy hurried off as McGonagall shook her head and said, "Now that he's out from under our feet, Heads of Houses inform the students to pack their things. The rest of you patrol the corridors and please make sure no students have left their dormitories." Ron and Harry dashed back to the Gryffindor common room before they were noticed missing. George and Fred wore looks of grief on their faces as Harry and Ron sat next to them. Harry pulled Ron aside.

"I think it's an excellent time to get out my Dad's old cloak." Harry spoke as thankfulness spread across Ron's face. "We have to get to Annie and tell Lockhart what we know." The boys slipped the cloak and made sure it completely covered them and made their way down the corridor Annie set off on as they parted ways earlier in the day. They came across many a portraits that didn't seem to be and entrance to Ravenclaw tower until they came across an eagle encrusted door knocker. The did the only logical thing, which was to knock on the door and they heard a voice.

"Who was the one of the most infamous Goblin serial killers in Wizarding history?" The door seemed to ask in a cool tone.

"How are we supposed to know," Ron turned to Harry under the cloak.

"I don't know, what can you remember about Goblins in Binns' class?" Harry asked in an unhopeful tone.

"That's the class I typically count sheep in if you catch my drift." Ron stated.

"Fine, we'll just have to wait for someone to come out." As if someone answered a prayer, Flitwick walked out of Ravenclaw Common Room and Harry kicked out his foot to stop the door from closing completely.

"Thank you, you tiny tiny man..." Harry muttered under his breath.

Annie was sitting on a chair pretending to read a book as she actually read over the page Hermione must have ripped out of a book about the Basilisk.

_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the king of Serpents. This snake which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from it's deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk had a murderous stare,and all who are fixed with the beam of it's eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it. (HPChSc pg.290)_

All of the facts began to come together in her mind, but was promptly interrupted by some invisible force pulling on her ankle which resulted in her falling off of her chair. She suddenly saw Ron and Harry's feet and knew what had happened.

"You pulled me, off a chair!?"

"Shhhhhhh!" The boys shushed her immediately and began to pull her toward the door.

"Wait how did you even get in here?" Annie looked at them skeptically.

"Er... Flitwick...might have let us in," Harry muttered under his breath. "By the way who is the most infamous Goblin serial killer of all time?"

"Yadley Platts born 1446 deceased 1557," Annie rambled off.

"Who remembers that? Sometimes you can be such a fre..."

Annie made her way to hit Ron but Harry pulled the two away, it was a miracle they hadn't been seen yet."Fine, I'm going I'm going." The three carefully made it out of Ravenclaw tower without being caught and began to walk down the corridor to Lockhart's office. They stopped for a moment and took the cloak off to read Hermione's ripped piece of paper.

"So I could hear the voices because all this time the attacker was a snake and Hermione's mirror, well she knew that if she looked the Basilisk in the eye she would die so she carried the mirror to look around corners..." Harry began.

"And Collin had his camera, and Nick was a ghost so he was already dead, and the Ravenclaw girl must've been warned by Mione." Annie finished.

"But what about Mrs. Norris? She obviously didn't have a camera or a mirror." Ron reasoned.

Harry and Annie looked at each other for a brief moment, "The bathroom," Harry blurted out.

"The water..." Annie raised an eyebrow.

"The tree, the pie... see I can do it too," Ron spoke sardonically not seeing the greater meaning.

"Mrs. Norris, saw the reflection of the Basilisk in the water, Ronald." Annie said irritably.

"But how did a Basilisk, a huge snake that is, get around and have no one ever notice or see it?"

"Don't you see!" The boys looked at Annie in a confused manner "Well if water was at almost every place a student was petrified, it'd have to be getting around through the pipes!"

The ran to Gilderoy's office and found the door locked shut. Why would the man who was supposed to be saving Ginny lock the door so no one could get in? They turned the door knob and still had no luck.

"Alohamora!" Harry busted open Gilderoy's door and there stood a very guilty looking Gilderoy Lockhart. He seemed to be packing his things and looked strangely intimidated by the trio standing at his doorway. Harry had on a look of menace, Annie raised an eyebrow and had one hand on her hip, and Ron wore a face of disgust.

"You bloody coward!" Annie blurted out angrily and Ron and Harry looked at her in surprise. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Why aren't you in the Chamber saving my sister?" Ron asked.

"Urgent call, really most unfortunate about your sister really..." Lockhart tried to collect his things as quickly as possible. He took drawers and dumped them into his luggage haphazardly.

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher! You can't just leave now!" Harry exclaimed.

"Not with all this Dark mumbo jumbo happening..." Annie tried to reason and Ron and Harry looked at her strangely. "Well what else am I supposed to call it...?"

"So all of the things you wrote about in your books, they were all lies?" Harry said.

"Well, not lies per say.. just bendings of the truth..."

"Well color me surprised," Annie spoke sarcastically. "And all this time I thought you were the real thing...I am just so hurt."

"Awfully sorry boys...and er girl..." Lockhart cowered away from a scowling Annie, "I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. I can't have you spreading my secrets all over London, now can I. My fans would go into outrage, there'd be a real uprising on my hands..."

Harry reached for his wand before Lockhart had even had a chance to blink, Harry bellowed, "Expelliarmus!" Gilderoy flew backward and fell onto the hard stone floor. His wand sailed through the air and Ron caught it and promptly broke it in two and then allowed Annie to step on it. Gilderoy cringed at the sound of his precious wand being broken into a million pieces.

"Guess I did learn _something_ from Snape this year after all..." Harry grimaced a bit at the thought. He remained still with his wand pointed at the phony DADA teacher and walked toward him.

"What do you want from me?" Gilderoy squealed as Annie, Ron, and Harry swarmed around him making no way for him to escape. "I don't know where the entrance to the Chamber is..."

"Luckily... we think we do. And I also think we have a pretty good idea of what's inside it. Get up!" Harry ordered. They led Gilderoy out of his office and toward the girls bathroom that only one person, or should we say ghost, ever went in. Myrtle came out of her regular toilet as soon as Harry, Ron, Annie, and Lockhart walked in.

"Oh, it's you," Myrtle batted her ghostly eyelashes at Harry. When Annie saw this she rolled her eyes. "What do you want," Myrtle took a more hostile tone toward Annie.

"Actually, I want to know the story of how you died Myrtle..." Annie said. "Every detail, not an ounce left out..."

"I died right here, in this very stall. I'd hidden because a girl, horrid girl, named Olive had been taunting me endlessly about my glasses. I was crying and heard something funny," She paused, "A hissing noise that is, a boy was speaking. I told him to go away, to leave and find his own bathroom. Then I died."

"How?" Harry asked confused.

"There's the funny part, I don't really know how. Just a pair of big, strange, yellow eyes staring back at me is all I remember."

"Where did you see the eyes?" Annie asked.

"Somewhere over there..." Myrtle pointed to a series of sinks in front of her. The trio ran toward the sinks while Gilderoy stepped many feet back. Annie walked toward him, her wand pointing at him so he had no way to escape.

Harry and Ron searched the sink fervently until they came across a tap with a serpent engraved on it with an emerald eye. Harry ran his hand across it. "The tap that's never worked," they could hear Myrtle whisper from across the bathroom.

"Say something, in parstletongue," Ron said a little out of breath.

"Er...Open Up..." Harry spoke and Ron shook his head disappointedly.

"Still English..." Ron said. Harry looked up and saw Annie. She gave him a sad, yet hopeful smile and gave him a simple nod of the head that merely said to him, you can do this. Soon Annie and Ron heard a hissing noise emit from Harry and the sink made a clanging noise and all of the sinks parted ways and a large pipe came into view.

"I've got to go down there," Harry decided at once, leaving Ginny alone to die down in the Chamber just wasn't an option.

"Me too..." Ron said.

"Well you two don't seen to be needing me, I'll just leave it in your capable hands." Gilderoy whimpered as Annie stuck her wand hard into his back.

"No need to leave so soon, you can go first." Annie pushed him all the way to the pipe and glared at him until he finally slid his legs into the slime covered pipe. He halted, but Ron and Harry gave him a good shove and he slid into the darkness. Harry went next, he lowered himself to the ground over the pipe and quickly let go. A rush of adrenaline filled within him with each twist and turn of the pipe. It seemed to be endless until he fell with a thud onto the ground. He heard Ron thudding behind him and he also landed on the ground. Lockhart was brushing slime off of his dress robes and they heard Annie talk herself into going down the pipe.

"It's just a slide, like a slide, a big slimey straight drop slide, you can do it, and it's for Ginny, and you can't leave her to die, because that would be bad...okay..." The pipe was literally a straight down 90 degree angle until you hit the midway point, so you were essentially free falling most of the way down. The boys also heard her scream the entire way down. She came whizzing out of the pipe and landed flat on her back. She looked around and wiped the slime off her forehead.

"Where are we...?" She said more in awe than as a question.

"We've got to be miles under the school..." Harry said.

"Slytherin was insane wasn't he?" Ron said as he saw the space they were in.

"Remember, any sign of movement we close our eyes..." Harry said.

"Alright..." Annie and Ron said at the same time.

"Do you hear that?" Lockhart said and Harry, Annie, and Ron moved forward to explore it. Lockhart snuck up behind Ron and took his wand out of his hand and attempted to use it against them all and Annie felt it.

"Harry! Ron! Duck!" Annie shouted and pulled them down as a stream of light was about to hit them. Her own force field went up and the walls around them seemed to crumble as Lockhart's spell rebounded on himself.

"What are you?" Lockhart asked to Annie as the spell began to take effect...

"Complicated," Annie answered breathlessly.

"And who am I?" Lockhart asked again.

"Who you truly are? I have no idea, and I doubt even you did when you had your memory." Annie said as she sat down exhausted. It took a moment for Annie to realize, but she noticed that Harry seemed to be no where in sight. And now there was a wall of debris from the spell Lockhart casted.

"Harry?!" Ron called out on his and Annie's side of the wall.

"Ron, Annie!?" Harry shouted, "Are you alright?"

"We're fine! This worthless git isn't though, got hit by his own spell." Ron called."What now? It'll take ages to get through all of this!" The ceiling of the cave like dungeon was cracking and splitting every which way and unfortunately moving the wall of rocks (the ceiling's only support) might cause the entire ceiling and all of Hogwarts to cave in.

"Ow!" Harry heard from the other side of the rock wall.

"You alright?" He called.

"Yeah! Just tripped is all!" Annie said and sounded like she was miles away.

"Wait there," Harry called to Annie and Ron, "Just wait with Lockhart, I'll keep going and find Ginny, If I'm not back within and hour..." Harry's voice faltered a bit.

"I'll try and shift some of the rock, just enough for you and Ginny to get back through, the ceiling looks like it's going to cave in." Ron spoke bravely.

"See you in a while..." Harry set off along the giant serpent skin that was strewn across the floor of the Chamber. His feet splashed in the water on the floor and the rhythm of his breathing began to get faster and faster as he walked alone, deeper into the Chamber of Secrets

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Annie asked as she feebly got up and went to help Ron.

"I hope so..." Ron said.

"Yeah me too..." Annie looked down for a minute and heard Lockhart mumble something or other. She looked at him, "What was that?"

"Hope allows me to make my way through the passing night, for in the dark it is Hope that permits me to dream that I shall see your face again..."

"You know I think I could've liked him if he was just himself and not whatever he chose to be..." Annie thought aloud.

"Not me, still would've hated him." Ron said as they moved the rocks.

Harry walked down a corridor leading to a solid, stone wall where serpents intertwined and joined together to cover a circular door without a way of opening it. Harry spoke Parstletongue to open the wall, but had no need to imagine snakes for the serpents in front of him were eerily real with their glimmering eyes. "Open," Harry said in a whispered hiss that chilled his spine. The serpents separated and the hatch opened to reveal a damp room that Harry stepped inside. The room which he could only assume was the Chamber of Secrets was damp and poorly lit with water and green moss splashed across the stone floor. So many questions roamed through his mind; Where was the Basilisk? Where was Ginny? Would he be able to handle whatever was coming? Regardless he walked onward.

Ron and Annie gripped opposite ends of a large boulder that was roughly the size of three Hogwarts trunks packed with thousands of books and rocks. They were able to lift it about three inches from it's resting surface until they both dropped it in exhaustion. Annie sat on a pile of debris that fell in a heap on the floor and Ron joined her.

"It's impossible," Ron huffed.

"It's not impossible, it's just, not going to be easy." Annie replied. Ron sat and stared at the rubble on the floor and reflected on the day for a few moments and an idea hit him.

"Wait a minute," He looked at Annie, "You can move things by just looking at them can't you? I mean that's the reason you've been taking lessons with Dumbledore."

"Yes, but it's not that simple, I can move books, portraits, a cup of tea, I've never even thought of moving something that weighs that much. I mean if something went wrong, and that fell on us, it could kill us." Annie said.

"I guess you'll never know if you don't try..." Ron said and urged Annie up. She stood toward the center of the walled in space and shoved aside the rubble and created a flat space to get her footing in.

"You seriously want me to do this?" Annie asked nervously.

"It's for my sister, Annie, otherwise do you think I'd ask?"

"Just...give me a minute." She took a deep breath, and hummed under her breath so only she could hear... "Du na na na na na end of the world as we know it..."

"Are you ready?" Ron asked.

"Yeah... I think so."

Harry saw on the Chamber floor a small figure with flaming red hair draped across her face. He sprinted forward toward her, the water on the floor splashing beneath him. He knelt down to be level with her and felt her skin, which was colder than ice. He shook her hard and called her name but she didn't answer, only Tom did.

After many failed attempts, Annie focused yet again as hard as she could at the rock in front of her. She thought to herself that was the one thing she wanted in the world, was that rock to move from where it was to where she was. She kept saying over and over in her head "I want the rock, I want the rock..." as the mantra played effortlessly in her head the rock moved easily toward her, and then as she shifted her focus to the wall on the side of her, it moved there and stopped, dropping to the ground just as she wanted it to. She moved as much rock and debris as she could until the wall that divided the three of them from Harry was no longer there.

"She's alive," Tom said in a soft spoken voice, "But only barely."

"Tom what are you?" Harry spoke to a sixteen year old image of Tom Riddle.

"A memory, preserved only by a lonely girl in a silly diary." Tom spoke quietly. Harry didn't understand much of what was happening, but he knew that if the Basilisk was coming, they would die exactly where they were standing and not a soul would live to tell the tale. They had to leave.

Ron and Annie cleared the last few bits of rough, crumbled rock that was in the way and stepped back and looked at what they had achieved. The duo looked worse for wear, as Ron had dirt stains on his face and his robes were tattered and torn while Annie looked worn out and sickly and had a single little cut above her left eyebrow and a one drop of blood that had dripped down her left cheek. She was exhausted from the magic she had performed that day and wanted nothing more than to get into a nice warm bed and sleep.

"You did it..." Ron said weakly.

"No, we did..." She place her loose curls behind her ears. "How long has Harry been gone?"

"Has to have been more then an hour..." Ron said.

"I have to go after him..." Annie stated and began to walk toward the other side of where the wall once was.

"Annie! You can't do that, we don't know where he is, what's happened..."

"Ron, there's a reason people go on expeditions and adventures in groups of threes, one to go off and fight evil, one to save him when he's in trouble, and one to live to tell the tale. So either you can go, or I can go, but one of us is going!"

"You made that up didn't' you?" Ron said after some thought.

"Yes, yes I did..." Annie said mock-defeated. "But does it make any difference as long as Harry and Ginny come out alive?"

Harry sank to the ground next to Ginny and felt a strike of pain begin to spread through his body. He wrenched the long fang that was poisoning his body out of his arm and gritted his teeth as he felt ripping in his arm. All around him things began to turn hazy, but he heard the splashing of stomped on water and felt someone kneel beside him and saw it was Annie. If this was what dying was, it didn't feel terribly bad, Harry thought. All of his pain had gone away... Then he saw Fawkes beside him, crying milky tears into his wounds.

"Phoenix tears have healing powers," Annie muttered to herself as Riddle looked utterly confused for a moment, and then remembered it himself.

"All the better, now I can finally kill Harry Potter at my own hands, just you and me," Riddle spoke and then looked at Annie,"But then there is you, but of course you can be taken care of..." But he spoke to late, Harry picked the Basilisk fang that lie on the cold wet floor and drove it through the very heart of the book and deep red blood began to seep from the pages as Riddle, or the memory of young Voldemort screamed in pain and slowly disappeared.

"You did brilliantly Fawkes..." Harry petted the top of the Phoenix's head. Soon he was almost hugged to death and suffocated in a sea of black curly hair. He choked out, "Annie... air..."

"Are you alright?" Annie looked at his arm and a cut on his face. Harry explained his entire ordeal...

"So that leaves us with Tom Riddle is actually Tom Marvolo Riddle who is actually Lord Voldemort..."

"Nice." Annie said.

A faint moan came from beneath them and Ginny began to sit up.

"Harry? Annie?" And she began to cry herself a river of tears, talking nonsense through her sobs. She was terrified and mortified that Riddle was going to come back. Annie placed a consoling hand on her back.

"Riddle's gone Ginny and the Basilisk. See, right there. He's gone, it's all over. Merely a memory now, I promise." Harry spoke kindly. Harry and Annie helped Ginny to her feet and each put one of her arms around their shoulders to help her walk and the slowly made their way out of the dimly lit Chamber of Secrets. They each limped their way away from the darkness of the day.

"What's my mum going to say?" Ginny asked worriedly.

"Trust me, it won't be anything compared to what my mum has to say..." Harry spoke gravely.

"We're doomed..." Annie said in a mock-dramatic voice and their laughter echoed off the walls of the Chamber. "Laughter," Louis Untermeyer said, "Shall drown the raucous shout; and, thou these shelt'ring walls are thin, may they be strong to keep hate out, and hold love in." Love, something so pure and sweet drove all the pain away. They reached the clearing where the wall once was and Harry looked at it a little struck seeing that the entire wall was gone.

"You two did all of this?" He asked Annie and Ron.

Annie looked down at the ground and Ron said, "Well, Annie did most of it actually, with her..."

Annie looked back up, "I moved it with my super freak powers, that's all, no need to dwell really..." she wrote it off as nothing. Ginny looked at her utterly confused. "I'll tell you on the train, Gin."

Harry looked around the cave and saw Lockhart sprawled across the floor. "What happened to Lockhart?" Ron looked down with guilt on his face.

"Ron you didn't!" Annie said seeing the medium sized rock by his head.

"What? You would've done the same thing, he wouldn't shut up... he's only unconscious anyway."

Lockhart didn't wake up until they were soaring back through the pipe that led them to the Chamber in the first place and didn't remember a single thing about himself, but complained about a notch and a pain in his head. Fawkes safely led them back to the abandoned girls bathroom and as the group came through the opening of the pipe, they saw Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore waiting for them on the other side.

Ron, Harry, Annie, and Ginny went through the entire story with both McGonagall and Dumbledore. While Dumbledore was impressed, McGonagall was furious that they took such risks. In this timeline Harry was again able to save Dobby from the clutch of Lucius Malfoy and get him a job at Hogwarts. Lily and James didn't come down too hard on Harry as far as punishment went, which he was extremely thankful for and only Ginny and Annie were kept in the hospital wing, both for exhaustion. Everything turned out well enough, but things were about to get far worse. Terrible things were about to happen, and no one saw it coming.

James and Lily Potter walked quickly into the hospital of Hogwarts school and found their son sitting next to their goddaughter who sat up awake in bed laughing about something or other. She had always been a happy baby and child, so it seemed a shame to ruin a piece of her childhood right then and there. They walked up to her bed and asked Harry if they could speak to her alone. They sat at her bedside, Lily on one side, James on the other. Annie could tell something was wrong, for there was a certain sadness in each of their eyes.

So, she asked the only question that made sense, "Where's my dad?"

There was a pregnant pause in the air, as no one seemed to answer the desired question. Lily looked at James with a bit of apprehension before she began.

"Annie, do you remember a man named Peter Pettigrew?" Lily asked softly.

"Yes, he was the one who gave away where you and Harry, and Uncle James were living." Annie answered since it was a well known fact she had been told ever since she could ask about the night Voldemort tried to kill Harry.

"Exactly," James took over, "He was our Secret Keeper, the only person that knew our actual hiding place. Many people thought the Secret Keeper was your dad, and he originally was for some time," He paused, "But we felt it was rather obivous for Padfoot to be our Secret Keeper, seeing as he was and is still our most trusted friend. He would've been a target for Voldemort, and we couldn't put that burden on him. But, Peter, well, it was more unexpected to put Peter as a Secret Keeper because everyone saw Peter as an outcast..." James drifted off.

"So Peter gave you away and...?" Annie asked, she was clearly missing something.

Lily explained, "And he dissappeared, many people thought that Sirius was the one that gave our secret to Voldemort because they all believed he was still our Secret Keeper. Without Peter's account of the story, many people believed Sirius to be a traitor." Annie looked at them both as though they still hadn't really answered her question.

Lily put a comforting hand on Annie's as James looked his goddaughter in the eye and told her the truth, "Your dad is in Azkaban. Peter Pettigrew reportedly came forth last night to the Minister of Magic himself and told him that Padfoot was the murderer and traitor, not him." James spoke bitterly.

"And people believed it? You believed it?" Annie asked incredulously.

Lily soothed Annie, "Of course we don't, but unfortunately, some people are ignorant enough to."

"So even though we know Pettigrew's lying, there's nothing anyone can do?" Annie said.

"They refuse to give him trial by veritiserum, they refuse to give him a trial at all." James said dissaprovingly of the Ministry. "It's not right, fair, or even legal for that matter but until someone can prove without a trial that he's innoccent, then there is nothing we can do."

"No one can question Pettigrew more?"

"Being the coward that he is," James began and Lily looked at him warning him to be careful of his word choice, "Let's just say that Peter isn't a very brave man, that said, he ran away right after he gave his version of the truth to Fudge."

After much silence Lily asked the only thing she thought to ask, "How are you taking this...?"

Annie said in a level and distant voice, "I was just told that my father, the only parent I have, was wrongly taken to a place where he's likely to be killed. I'm not exactly sure how I'm supposed to react to that."

Later that warm, almost summer's evening, Lily and James met with Dumbledore in his office.

"And where will Miss Black be staying this summer?" Dumbldore knew the answer to that one really...

"With us of course," Lily said immediately. "We're her godparents afterall."

"Then as her official legal guardians, you should know that Miss Black excelled academically this term and has the opportunity to advance a grade level if she would like to. I don't see this happen very often in students, all she would have to do is take a placement examination before the next school year begins."

"Yeah, we'll think about it."

James and Lily walked silently down the spiraling stairs that led to Dumbeldore's office. Lily stopped James by placing her hand on his chest in the corridor outside the gargoyle and looked at him skeptically.

"Did you see that coming?" Lily said in regards to Annie's academics.

"Yeah, but I was hoping she was expelled or sneaking off into the night to plan dangerous and potentially harmful pratical jokes on people. That I could handle, this, this is your area."

It a few weeks later brought the end of term, everyone was spending their last few days at Hogwarts either relaxing outside and by the lake or cramming for end of the year exams. Harry was on his way outside to meet Ron and Hermione when he spotted a familiar person.

"Hey Annie,"

"Hey..." Annie didn't seem herself lately for obvious reasons.

"Are you alright?"

"Harry, have you ever had the feeling that a thousand eyes are burrowing into the back of your head as you walk by?"

"Yes, actually almost everyday." Harry said.

"Well, I'm sorry, because quite honestly, it sucks." Annie said. "Listen I have to go to Professor Dumbledore's office for something, I'll see you later."

Annie had another lesson with Professor Dumbledore, but it seemed worthless. She was getting no where and was finding it increasingly hard to concentrate on what she was doing. She ended up dropping the sorting hat in mid-air directly on Dumbledore's head, which she had to admit was pretty funny, but not exactly what she intended to do. As another conjuring seemed to dissapate from her mind she huffed annoyed and burried her head in her hands.

Professor Dumbledore's voice seemed to cut through the chaos, "It is understandable to be frustrated and even distracted by the recent events that have taken place. If you have to cry, scream, throw things, no one will see you as weak." How was it that he knew exactly what she was thinking. That night in the Chamber she felt strong, but now she felt like a withering wall flower. But she wouldn't cry, she would not scream, or lash out because she wasn't weak...

Annie looked up at the Headmaster who was distracted by something else. Through his open window had flown a bumble bee, not an ugly hornet, or a painful wasp, but an innoccent and meak bumble bee.

"Most people don't know that aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly." He gathered an almost joyous and wise tone in his voice, "But the bumble bee doesn't know that, so it goes on flying anyway."

"Because it has hope..." Annie said warmly as she gazed out the open window.

"Exactly," Dumbldore paused, "Because it has hope."

_Author's Note: The Basilisk info is from Chamber of Secrets, I don't own it, JKR wrote it not me. Dumbledore says one of my favorite quotes in this chapter and it is by Mary Kay Ash "Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway." **The chapter title is a reference to going on an adventure and coming out a different person or with something affecting you so your not the same (like alice in alice in wonderland).** This chapter had a ton of info and just stuff in it, so sorry if it's all a bit much. I'm slowly mapping out year three right now so it might be a little while until there's an actual update, but I'm going to put in some fun fillers until then (Ever wonder what Harry, Ron, and Annie put on their Gilderoy Lockhart tests?) If there are any questions or anything you want answered throughout year three, put it in the review and I will try to incorporate it into the story. Thanks and hope to see you at the next chapter._

**Thanks to all who review, favorite, C2, and put this story on their alerts. It means alot to me.**


	23. A Girls Guide to Being Jaded

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor would I ever claim to.**

_Time After Time_

_ A Girl's Guide to being Jaded_

_11:58 p.m. July 30th, 1993_

Harry Potter lied awake that night thinking of nothing but the weather. This was strange enough for any almost thirteen year old, especially seeing that Harry had never really had any interest in weather at all.

But honestly there was only one word that could describe Harry's life, and that was the word strange. His family, was extremely unconventional to say the least, consisting of his parents and some of the most interesting and kind people you could ever meet. His best friend, was the daughter of a convict, his godfather was said convict.

But perhaps the most interesting aspect of Harry's life, and the most frightening, was that he was the only wizard to ever survive the killing curse and was the very person responsible for the early demise of Lord Voldemort.

He and his friends had fought what was left of the dark wizard twice so far, and had come out on the winning side both times, which was quite frankly remarkable seeing as they were only school children.

Harry's school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, wasn't normal either, playing host to young wizards and witches much like himself. But in all the strangeness of his life, and most importantly, on the eve of his birthday, all Harry Potter could think of was the weather.

Usually, Britain saw temperatures in the seventies, farenheit that is, during the summer months. But for some reason, the temperatures barely reached the forties. It was wet, which wasn't unusual for England, but Harry had never seen storms and cold fronts quite like this.

There was an eery feeling in the air, that he wasn't used to at Potter Manor, his home when he wasn't at Hogwarts, and Harry couldn't help but wonder what exactly was causing this strange and dreary summer. The warm months of Summer were what he longed for all throughout his school term, and something was robbing him of that warmth.

Another thing he wasn't accustomed to was having his best friend Annie living in his house. Her father had been wrongfully put in the wizard prison, Azkaban, just before school ended.

Her room, was the very room next to his, and he could often hear her snores on most nights. It wasn't something that bothered Harry, seeing as his dad also snored, and anyways, Annie's snoring wasn't the annoying kind, but more the kind that could lull you to sleep.

It was nice always having someone to play quidditch with (weather permitting), or work on summer homework with during the long rainy days. Annie was six months younger than him, which would normally put her a year behind him in school, but she was extremely smart and was able to move up to his year in school.

This was something his friend Hermione was also offered after their first year in school, but she decided to stay with her friends instead. Annie would actually get to have almost all of the same classes as Harry, Hermione, and his friend Ron because a Gryffindor who would've been a third year this upcoming school term had been taken out of school during the attacks on many students last year by Tom Riddle, otherwise known as Lord Voldemort.

Harry looked at the clock and saw he had been thirteen for thirty minutes. A tapping at his window got his attention and he saw his owl Hedwig, a tawny school owl, and the Weasley family's owl Errol all carrying parcels adressed to him.

After relieving the owls from their burdens, he shut the window and sat on his bed opening his gifts. Ron, had gotten him a pocket sneakoscope, Hermione had outdone herself and gave him a broomstick servicing kit, and well... Hagrid's he was too afraid to open.

His friend's couldn't be at his small birthday gathering, so they sent their gifts a bit early. Hermione was in France with her parents, and all nine of the Weasley's were in Egypt on summer holiday.

He was awoken that morning by his extremely hyper father jumping up and down on his bed singing (very off key he might add) "Happy Birthday," to him.

His dad wasn't like most, he was more of a kid than Harry sometimes, and during his days at Hogwarts was part of an elite pranking group that were able to make a map of all of Hogwarts and everyone that inhabbited it. Harry, of course, had inherrited the map but hadn't found much use for it yet.

The singing unfortunately continued for many minutes until both his mother and Annie were at the door begging for it to stop. The four were forced to spend most of Harry's birthday inside due to the rain, but were lucky enough to get a visit from Moony,to the rest of the world known as Remus Lupin.

They also recieved the news that Remus would be teaching at Hogwarts this year, thus filling the doomed Defense Against the Dark Arts post that every student thought there was a curse on.

Harry recieved many presents and had a great time, until that is they recieved the news that Sirius had escaped from Azkaban which threw them all for a whirl. No one in history had ever escaped from Azkaban.

Harry found Annie that evening in the library. The Potter's library was almost as extensive as Hogwart's library, housing books and tombs of all kinds on every subject imaginable.

It was the perfect place to retreat to if you didn't want to be found and both Harry and Annie knew that. Harry sat down on the ground next to Annie, who was leaning against a book case reading the biography of Uric the Oddball.

"Ah, Uric the Oddball, has to be an interesting read." Harry said aloud and Annie looked up from the page and at him. She sighed and closed her book shut, emitting a poof of dust from the pages.

"Listen, I appreciate what your doing, the whole make Annie feel better thing by sitting next to her and saying nothing which incase will make her spill her guts, but really, she's fine."

"Fine people don't typically speak in third person. And anyways, I am merely hear to learn about..." Harry pulled a random book of the shelf, "_365 Beauty Charms for the Haggard Witch..._."

"Oh really, feeling a little haggard lately?" Annie laughed.

"Alright, not exactly my kind of read..." Harry put the book back and noticed Annie also had a copy of that evening's _Evening Prophet. _He took it and saw a blown up picture of Sirius, that had to be taken at Azkaban along with a story claiming he was a madman on the loose. "You shouldn't read this rubbish, you know it's not true don't you?"

"Yes, I know that. I just wonder where he's at is all. No one's ever escaped from Azkaban, not in the history of wizards has there ever been someone smart or daft enough to make it out and still be alive. I just... wish I knew if he was alright."

"If he was smart enough to escape from Azkaban, than I'm sure he's alright." Harry offered his sense kindly.

"If he's not though..." Her voice suddenly filled with fear and doubt.

"If you think like that you'll just make yourself more worried..."

Annie got up off the floor and looked down at Harry, "Up for a one on one game of quidditch."

Harry said back with a bit of intrigue in his voice, but also looked at her as if she was crazy. "In the rain?"

"Oh well, if you're too afraid of a little bit of water, I mean I guess I understand..." She said, mock-teasing him.

Harry scoffed, "You're starting to sound exactly like Oliver Wood..."

Annie took offense to that statement, as she, along with everyone else believed that Oliver Wood was truly insane.The two were about to leave when Annie said, "Oh wait!" and she put the book she was reading back in it's place by using her powers.

"Still freaks me out that you can do that..." Harry said under his breath thinking Annie didn't hear him.

"It still freaks me out too..." But apparently she did.

The end of summer had fastly approached for Harry and Annie, bringing with it the traditional trip to diagon alley to shop for all their school supplies. This year, since Lily and James truly believed their son and goddaughter were in no danger, they allowed Harry and Annie to meet up with Hermione and Ron in Diagon Alley on August 30th to get their supplies for school and in general just hang out a bit considering the four friends had not been altogether yet that summer.

Harry, Ron, and Annie were all thankful that they would be able to go alone, since most wizard parents wouldn't dream of letting their children run around with Sirius Black on the loose. Luckily the Potter's and the Weasley's knew Sirius wasn't a mass murderer and wouldn't dream of harming children and Hermione's parent's were muggles who she quite frankly didn't tell.

_August 30th, 1993_

If you've ever lived in an extremely humid climate, you know how truly miserable it can be. Enduring the muggy, humid, and now hot temperatures along with the never ceasing rain weren't the only things Harry and Annie had on their mind that day in Diagon Alley. Finding Ron and Hermione through the rain had been harder than they thought it would be.

On the other hand, Harry felt fine just hanging out with Annie. The thirteen year old Gryffindor had actually felt like that alot lately. He glanced across the table at her as they sat in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream shop and thought that she looked particularly nice that day. She wore short, white cuffed shorts, a blue halter top, and a jean jacket. Her hair had curled more than ever in the humidity and sprang all over the place even though it was pulled half back. And her freckles stood out against her pale skin.

_'Wait a minute,'_ Harry thought to himself, _'Since when did I start thinking Annie looked nice? I mean it's true she does look nice... beautiful is more like it...Stop, Harry, she's your friend...' _His thoughts were quickly interupted by the door of the shop opening bringing with it a quarrelling Hermione and Ron. Hermione seemed to be holding a wet, orange furball in her hand that was hissing at a sickly looking Scabbers, who was held in Ron's hand.

He looked at Annie who was giving him a signal that clearly said, 'Run for it.' But it was too late, Ron and Hermione had already spotted them and were making their way over to the table, continuing their bickering match the entire way. Annie openly sighed and hit her head on the table.

She liked Hermione alot, and thought Ron was okay, but the two of them together was almost unbearable at times. During school terms she could always just run to her own common room, but there was no way out of this one.

"Crookshanks is not an evil, devil worshipping cat, Ronald! You're a good little boy aren't you Crookshanks." Hermione coddled the cat as if it was a baby. That was another thing Annie didn't particularly like, cats. They're always stairing at you with those all-knowing eyes and seemed to judge you with a single glare. Plus, they made her sneeze.

"Where've you two been?" Ron said as he pulled a bowl of ice cream toward him and shoved a heaping spoonful in his mouth, "We've been looking for you for an hour at least. Had to waste time in Magical Menagerie..."

Annie started to feel her nose itch and fought the urge to sneeze which made her eyes water, "How was France, Hermione?"

Harry leaned toward Annie and muttered under his breath, "Are you okay..."

She coughed, "Fine..."

"Oh Annie, it was the most beautiful place I've ever been. There's so much history to Paris. And not just muggle history but also wizarding." Hermione's face seemed to light up.

Annie sneezed loudly shaking the table, something she had never done before, "There were incredible witch trials in France that aren't as well known as the killings in America. I mean France was home to Joan of Arc and she was most notoriously and wrongly accused of being a witch and...why are you all stairing at me." Ron, Hermione, and Harry were all looking at her strangely. Ron and Harry seemed to have a worried expression, and Hermione a confused one.

Then Annie realized she suddenly felt better and didn't have the urge to sneeze. It was then that she realized she was gaining control of another power. She had thought, _"Wouldn't it be great to be able to conjure up a forcefield right now...?" _Just to be able to protect herself from the horrid cat. And then she had actually done it, without getting immensely exhausted! Of course, the shield was only around her head, not her entire body so that had to make it easier. She quickly let go of the thought and the shield went down. Hermione looked as though she was gaining and idea of what was going on.

Annie quickly sputtered out, "Sorry! We have to go, now!" She grabbed Harry's hand and made him run out of the store, "See you on the train!" He called from the door as Annie pulled him outside into the rain. They dashed into the empty street and were pelted with wet, sweet, summer rain.

"That was... it was... you did it, Annie." Harry was genuially proud of her, this was one of the only good things that had happened that gloomy summer. He looked her in the eye and he could see her smile in her eyes. But she wished Sirius could've been there.

She realized she was still holding Harry's hand and let go quickly, "Sorry..."

Harry cleared his throat and put his hands to his side, "Er... that's er... okay," he said awkwardly as he looked at the ground. "You do realize were standing out in the rain for absolutely no reason, right?"

She laughed a bit, "You and the rain, I swear. Did you two have a fight, need a little make up time? Because really I can leave you two alone."

Harry rolled his eyes slightly,"Let's just go find my parents," And the two ran off into the rain, making puddles splash beneath their feet after every step they took. They later found Lily and James in the Leaky Cauldron and explained what had happened at the ice cream parlor. Lily insisted on telling Dumbledore the news that evening by floo, needless to say he was surprised.

The rest of summer went by extremely fast, and as soon as they knew it, the days of summer were over. Annie was particularly dreading going back to school this year and she had every reason why.

_September 1st,_

The Hogwarts Express was a symbol to the students of Howarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. The train ride was the transition between their lives at home, and their lives at school. For most students, those two worlds were completely and totally different. The apple red train steamed on as Harry, Annie, Lily, and James walked through the barrier onto platform 9 and 3/4.

They were ever so rudely met by photographers and reporters from the Daily Prophet as soon as they appeared. James instinctively put a protective, guiding arm on Annie's shoulder, and Lily got closer to Harry. Reporters in the Wizarding world were vicious, especially Rita Skeeter. Reporters and Photographers alike cruely shouted out anything they could think of concerning Sirius.

"Is it true he was the Potter's Secret Keeper?"

"Did he really attempt to murder you in your sleep?"

"Are you secretly harboring him in your home until he can escape again?"

"What kind of Dark Magic gets you out of Azkaban?"

James Potter's temper was legendary, and Lily half-expected him to give the Prophet workers hell, but it seemed to hit him as hard as it did Annie. Annie blankly stared forward, emotionless, and expressionless. She was silent as they fought their ways through whispering students and parents. Silence, painful silence, as if she had become a vacant person just wandering without their emotions. Lily, turned to her son and said, "Harry go find a compartment on the train, Annie will be there in a minute." Harry gave his mother a confused look, but obeyed anyways and put his trunk in a carriage with Ron and Hermione's and waited there, figuring there was a reason Lily shooed him.

James and Lily pulled Annie aside and Lily put her thumb under her goddaughter's chin, lifting it gently so she would look at her, but Annie averted looking her in the eye and staired at the corner instead. Lily put it simply, "You don't have to go back Annie, you don't have to do this."

She didn't say anything back but, merely shook her head, saying that she didn't want to avoid school. James stepped forward and got to her level and spoke kindly, "No matter what any person tries to tell you, you know the truth. And simply knowing the truth is what get's you through. You know what's real Annie, right here." He put his hand on his own heart and Annie finally looked him in the eye. She said her goodbyes, giving them what she considered empty hugs. She wasn't in the mood to hug right now, she wasn't in the mood to be near people. She walked to the carriage where she saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione (sans Crookshanks) and the train pulled away leaving Annie with the knowledge that knowing the truth is never simple.

Annie slept for most of the long train ride to Hogwarts, thus missing the arrival of Remus in their carriage. It wasn't until about halfway through the trip did she wake up. Annie awoke to subtle laugter and the soft roaring of train tracks, feeling her head rest on something cold and hard, which she later discovered was a window. Just as she opened her eyes the train hit a bump and her head smacked into the window.

"Ow...stupid train, I despise you stupid train," Annie whimpered and muttered under her breath as she rubbed the sore patch forming on the side of her head. She sat up and saw a game of chess unfold before her. Remus and Ron were playing in what seemed to be a very intense game of wizards chess, while Hermione was reading a book, and Harry was watching the chess match.

"You tell that train who's boss," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Hah, you're funny, you're a funny guy." Annie said sarcastically.

"Check," Ron said as he moved a chess pawn across the board. The train shook slightly and the lights flickered.

"So are you looking forward to teaching Moony?" Annie tried to make conversation as the train shook some more.

"It'll be a challenge, but I think I'm up for it." He said back. The train began to rumble more violently and the animals in the compartment began to squack about.

"What the...?" Harry muttered as the compartments occupants looked around avidly trying to find the source of the disturbance.

Scabbers scampered across the floor of the train and Hedwig and Loyld began to hoot loudly. The normally calm train shook once more and the light went out, leaving them in complete and utter darkness. An eerie silence cut through the air like a razor and they felt their throats swell from sheer coldness. Annie broke the silence.

"Who just sat on me?" That thought was interupted by overwhelming fear and immense cold in the core of every person present on the train. What Harry smelt however was far worse than what he felt, the air smelt of rotting flesh and he saw a cloaked figure floating toward him, edging closer and closer and then he saw one last flash of bright light and with the sound of a piercing cry, the world went black.

"Harry...Harry...Harry...You better wake up because Neville's convinced your dead..." Harry heard Annie's muffled voice say. He slowly tried to raise his head and felt searing pain on his forehead. Annie, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville surrounded him on their knees.

"Did you hear... a woman... screaming?" Harry panted heavily.

Ceaseless amounts of rain fell for the remainder of the evening and the next morning, but chose to stop before morning classes. Most people had been avoiding Annie since it was announced at dinner that the dementors were souly there to protect the castle from Sirius Black. She had been as good as shunned from her dormitory, except for a rather interesting girl named Luna Lovegood, who decided Sirius's arrest had been part of a Wracklespurt conspiracy. Humid mist surrounded Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Annie as they walked down to their first Care of Magical Creatures Lesson. Harry noticed Annie was staying at least twenty feet away from him as they made their way to Hagrid's hut. He stopped abruptly as did she.

"So I have the plague now I take it?" Harry said loud enough for Hermione and Ron to stop.

"No, no not the plague. You're not the plague, I'm the plague, seriously, I'm the person in the movie walking around with the ominous cloud over their head and the dramatic lighting and someday that cloud is going to dump a crapload of rain on my head and if any of you are near by you'll get equal amounts of the freaky rain on your heads." Annie spoke quickly with her arms waving wildly in the air for emphasis. "So I'm staying twenty feet, that's the rule twenty feet!"

Harry fought the urge to laugh, "You're freaking out right now, you realize that right? I should be calling the nice men in the white coats to take you away." Harry walked closer.

"I am not freaking out! Hey! Twenty feet!"

Harry backed away a bit, "I'm sorry I just have trouble judging this distance thing."

"Just think of two really big basketball players lined up head to toe," Annie took a deep breath, "I'm freaking out aren't I?" She looked at Ron and Hermione as she said this.

"N-No... not at all..." They both said too fast for it to actually be true.

"Sorry, momentary crazy person lapse, won't happen again." Annie began to walk again as did Ron, Hermione, and Harry; Ron and Hermione a bit ahead of Harry and Annie.

"She's gone mental..." Ron said.

"The first day I met Annie, she was mental Ronald, it's just something I've gotten used to." Hermione said.

"I'm telling you craploads of rain." Annie said as Harry walked closer to her.

"I'll risk it." Harry said and shoved Annie playfully off the trail they were walking on and she shoved him back and they laughed their way to Hagrid's hut just as rain began to pour down again. "And maybe buy an umbrella." Harry finished earning a laugh from Annie.

They were luckily protected from the light rain by the canopy of forest trees Hagrid led them to. As each student entered a bit of the forest they stopped dead in their tracks and saw a beast of a creature. Hagrid had decided to start his first lesson with...

"Hippogriffs...?" Hermione muttered under her breath.

"Isn't he beautiful...?!" Hagrid bellowed standing next to the beast. Harry swore he could hear Malfoy snark behind his back, but not wanting to ruin Hagrid's first lesson he chose to ignore it. "Now who wants to ride 'im first?" Harry didn't realize nearly every single person backed away until he heard a tree branch crack on the ground beneath someone's feet, of course, Neville was the one to break the silence by backing onto the branch. Harry turned and saw that Hermione, Ron, and Annie had all backed away aswell, _some friends they are _he thought to himself. Before he knew it Hagrid had his hand clapped on Harry's back and was pulling him toward Buckbeak the Hippogriff. He bowed as Hagrid instructed, and kept in the position until he got the okay to pet Buckbeak. As Harry moved forward and approached the proud looking animal, Buckbeak took to his hein legs and neighed loudly at him. Harry backed away a bit but then moved forward again to pet Buckbeak successfully and Annie let go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

There was clapping and praises from Hagrid and other students, but in a dizzying whirl of excitement Harry failed to realize when Hagrid placed him on a wild Hippogriff that began charging the forest floor. But fear was replaced with wonderment as Buckbeak spread his wings wide and glided over the green tree tops. Harry felt drops of rain hit his forehead as Buckbeak soared over the black lake and landed back in the area of the forest that Care of Magical Creatures was being held at. While Harry had been flying over the Hogwarts grounds, Hagrid had assigned working partners for classroom assignments through out the year. Harry had been matched with Parvati, Hermione with Daphne Greengrass, Ron with Seamus, and Annie with Blaise Zabini. They were told to stand with their partners and begin their work, which was to draw a diagram of a Hippogriff.

Annie relunctantly walked over to her Slytherin pairing and sat down in the grass next to him. Annie proceeded to get parchment from her school bag and her literally monsterous Care of Magical Creatures textbook.

Blaise held out his hand, "Blaise Zabini, I don't think we've properly met yet." Annie paused to look up and cast him a taken aback glance, raising one eyebrow as if she was saying 'You've got to be kidding me.' He picked her arm up by the forearm and shook it for her, "Hi Blaise, I'm Annie, nice to meet you." He said in a falsetto tone. Annie smiled a little bit. "Ah, the Annie Black smiling, I didn't think it would happen this year."

Annie took her arm back, "So I take it you're not one of the many who think my father's a pshycopathic murderer who plotted against his best friends to kill them?"

"Has anyone ever told you you're ridiculously jaded?" He asked. "Listen, if I thought Sirius Black was a murderer, he would've killed you in your sleep years ago." Blaise said as Annie sketched Buckbeak. "That's a nice sketch," He paused, "You shouldn't block people out, you just may be surprised what you find once you get to know them." At that point, Malfoy had managed to get himself run over by a five hundred pound Hippogriff and was whimpering and rolling around on the ground like a toddler who didn't get what he wanted,"I'd better go, he is a friend I guess..." Blaise said as he stood up and brushed off his pants and Annie went to join Harry in congratulating Buckbeak on his excellent choice of people to attack. "See you around Ace."

"It's Annie actually." Annie said full knowing that he was messing with her.

"What was that about?" Harry asked.

"Nothing, just developing an understanding I guess..." Annie said as Harry gave her an unconvinced glance. "An understanding with a Slytherin? Well how about that..." Harry said perplexed.

Annie looked at her paper thoughtfully as she contemplated the idea that maybe there was a decent Slytherin in the world, and that she had possibly been sitting right next to him.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for the patience during my lack of updates mode. I swear there must be writers block traveling around this place. Anyways, I hope you liked the chapter. I've always wanted to know more about Blaise, so I guess this is my way of doing that. Don't forget to hit that button and tell me what you think on your way out!!! 

_What'll happen to Hagrid once Malfoy spreads the news of Buckbeak trampeling him?_

_Why is Blaise being so nice to Annie?_

_How's Harry going to take it if Annie's friends with Blaise?_

Find out next time. PS: I realize I made a continuity error, I gave Crookshanks to Hermione a year earlier than I ment to. Oh well. I apologize if there were any spelling errors, spellcheck hasn't been working for some reason.


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